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arXiv:0911.0957 · Physical Review A

Light-induced atomic desorption for loading a sodium magneto-optical trap

Gustavo Deczka Telles, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Matthew Gibbs, Chandra Raman

Published Mar 31, 2010• 29 citations
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Abstract

We report studies of photon-stimulated desorption, also known as light-induced atomic desorption, of sodium atoms from a vacuum-cell glass surface used for loading a magneto-optical trap (MOT). Fluorescence detection was used to record the trapped atom number and the desorption rate. We observed a steep wavelength dependence of the desorption process above $2.6 \mathrm{eV}$ photon energy, a result significant for estimations of sodium vapor density in the lunar atmosphere. Our data fit well to a simple model for the loading of the MOT dependent only on the sodium desorption rate and residual gas density. Up to $3.7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{7}$ Na atoms were confined under ultrahigh-vacuum conditions, creating promising loading conditions for a vapor-cell-based atomic Bose-Einstein condensate of sodium.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.81.032710

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arXiv:cond-mat/0509241•Physical Review A•Jan 24, 2006•113 citations
We report studies of photon-stimulated desorption, also known as light-induced atomic desorption, of sodium atoms from a vacuum-cell glass surface used for loading a magneto-optical trap (MOT). Fluorescence detection was used to record the trapped atom number and the desorption rate. We observed a steep wavelength dependence of the desorption process above 2.6eV2.6 \mathrm{eV}2.6eV photon energy, a result significant for estimations of sodium vapor density in the lunar atmosphere. Our data fit well to a simple model for the loading of the MOT dependent only on the sodium desorption rate and residual gas density. Up to 3.7\ifmmode×\else\texttimes\fi1073.7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{7}3.7\ifmmode×\else\texttimes\fi107 Na atoms were confined under ultrahigh-vacuum conditions, creating promising loading conditions for a vapor-cell-based atomic Bose-Einstein condensate of sodium.
We demonstrate loading of a Li magneto-optical trap using light-induced atomic desorption. The magneto-optical trap confines up to approximately $4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{4}$ 7Li^{7}\mathrm{Li}7Li atoms with loading rates up to approximately $4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{3}$ atoms per second. We study the Li desorption rate as a function of the desorption wavelength and power. The extracted wavelength threshold for desorption of Li from fused silica is approximately 470 nm. In addition to desorption of lithium, we observe light-induced desorption of background gas molecules. The vacuum pressure increase due to the desorbed background molecules is $\ensuremath{\lesssim}50\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}%$, and the vacuum pressure decreases back to its base value with characteristic timescales on the order of seconds when we extinguish the desorption light. By examining both the loading and decay curves of the magneto-optical trap, we are able to disentangle the trap decay rates due to background gases and desorbed lithium. Our results show that light-induced atomic desorption can be a viable Li vapor source for compact devices and sensors.
With the help of light-emitting diodes at the center wavelength of 470 nm, we demonstrate that light-induced atom desorption (LIAD) can be used for flexibly controlling the loading of magneto-optical traps (MOT) of cesium atoms. Under an ultralow background pressure in a quartz cell without any wall coating, we show that low intensity blue light can be used to control the loading rates (from 200 to 4000 atoms/s) and the number of cesium atoms (on the order of 104{10}^{4}104 in our experiment) in a MOT without the use of dispensers or any secondary atom source. A theoretical model based on an atom loading rate equation is built which can simulate the magneto-optical trap loading process with LIAD. The theoretical results are in agreement with experimental data. Some important parameters of the vacuum system are determined accordingly. The decay time of the vacuum pressure is about 70 ms, which is much shorter than the usual vacuum system for experiments on atomic ensembles. It is very difficult to measure such short times by the traditional fluorescence detection of cold atoms due to the slow loading process. The change of desorption rate (on the order of 1013 atoms/s{10}^{13}\text{ }\text{atoms}/\text{s}1013 atoms/s) for the different desorption intensities is also determined based on the background pressure caused by noncesium atoms in the cell. According to the experimental data and theoretical calculations, we obtain a partial pressure of about $1.4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}\text{ }\text{Torr}$ for the untrapped cesium atoms and about $6.4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}\text{ }\text{Torr}$ for the noncesium atoms at the moment the desorption light is turned off. The system is almost an ideal vacuum system for transferring atoms into another region for further experiments.
The dynamics of magneto-optical trap loading by light-induced atom desorption (LIAD) are investigated theoretically and experimentally. The loading of the MOT has been described by a theoretical model. We have paid close attention to the background gases which are essentially important for the ultimate vacuum pressure. The experiment is done based on a glass cell and all the results are well in agreement with the theory. The decay process of the background vacuum pressure caused by the untrapped cesium atoms after shutting off the desorption light is explained quantitatively. The LIAD effect is proved to be an effective tool to control the loading of the MOT and the neutral single atoms in experiment.
In this article we report on the production of a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) of 23Na^{23}\mathrm{Na}23Na using light-induced desorption as an atomic source. We load about $2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{7}$ atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) from this source with a  6~6 6 s loading time constant. The MOT lifetime can be kept around 272727 s by turning off the desorbing light after loading. We show that the pressure drops down by a factor of 40 in less than 100100100 ms after the extinction of the desorbing light, restoring the low background pressure for evaporation. Using this technique, a BEC with 104{10}^{4}104 atoms is produced after a 666 s evaporation in an optical dipole trap.
We have obtained fast loading of a rubidium magneto-optical trap and very high collection efficiency by capturing the atoms desorbed by a light flash from a polydimethylsiloxane film deposited on the internal surface of a cell. The atoms are trapped with an effective loading time of about 65 ms at a loading rate greater than $2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{8}$ atoms per second. This rate is larger than the values reported in literature and is obtained by preserving a long lifetime of the trapped atoms. This lifetime exceeds the filling time by nearly two orders of magnitude. Trap loading by light-induced desorption from siloxane compounds can be very effectively applied to store and trap a large number of atoms in the case of very weak atomic flux or extremely low vapor density. It can be also effectively used for fast production of ultracold atoms.
We show that light-induced atom desorption (LIAD) can be used as a flexible atomic source for large 87Rb^{87}\mathrm{Rb}87Rb and 40K^{40}\mathrm{K}40K magneto-optical traps. The use of LIAD at short wavelengths allows for fast switching of the desired vapor pressure and permits experiments with long trapping and coherence times. The wavelength dependence of the LIAD effect for both species was explored in a range from 630to253nm630\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\text{to}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}253\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}630to253nm in an uncoated quartz cell and a stainless steel chamber. Only a few mW∕cm2\mathrm{mW}∕{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}mW∕cm2 of near-UV light produce partial pressures that are high enough to saturate a magneto-optical trap at $3.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{9}$ 87Rb^{87}\mathrm{Rb}87Rb atoms or $7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{7}$ 40K^{40}\mathrm{K}40K atoms. Loading rates as high as $1.2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{9}$ 87Rb^{87}\mathrm{Rb}87Rb atoms/s and $8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{7}$ 40K^{40}\mathrm{K}40K atoms/s were achieved without the use of a secondary atom source. After the desorption light is turned off, the pressure quickly decays back to equilibrium with a time constant as short as $200\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{s}$, allowing for long trapping lifetimes after the MOT loading phase.