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arXiv:2302.07639 · Applied Physics Letters

Compact strontium atom source using fiber-based pulsed laser ablation

Alto Osada, Ryo Tamaki, Wenbo Lin, Ippei Nakamura, Atsushi Noguchi

Published May 1, 2023• 1 citation
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We designed, demonstrated, and characterized a strontium atom source based on fiber-based pulsed laser ablation. By using a commercially available miniature lens system for focusing nanosecond pulsed laser of up to 225 μ J delivered through a multimode fiber of 105 μm core, we ablate a SrTiO3 target and generate a jet of neutral strontium atoms, though our method can be applied to other transparent ablation targets containing materials under concern. Our device endures 6000 cycles of pulse delivery and irradiation without noticeable damage on the fiber facets and lenses. The generated strontium beam is characterized with a spectroscopic method and is revealed to exhibit the transverse temperature of 800 K and a longitudinal velocity of 2300 m/s, which are typical for a pulsed-laser-ablation-based atom source. The number of atoms generated by a single ablation pulse is estimated to be 2×105. Our device provides a compact, cryo-compatible fiber-pigtailed atom source with minimized device footprints and reduced complexity of vacuum systems to further promote development of cold-atom experiments. It may also find interesting applications in atomic and molecular sciences.

DOI
10.1063/5.0146658

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We demonstrate the production of cold atomic strontium (Sr) and strontium-containing molecules (SrOH) in a cryogenic buffer-gas beam source via direct heating of strontium oxide (SrO) with 30 mJ laser pulses several milliseconds long. Here, $3.7(2)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{14}$ Sr atoms are released, which represents a factor of 7 increase in atomic production per pulse compared to nanosecond-scale ablation laser pulses. A peak atomic density of $1.93(6)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{12}$ atoms/cm3{\mathrm{cm}}^{3}cm3 is achieved, which corresponds to a factor of 2 increase relative to ablation. We further propose extensions of this method to other atomic and molecular species.
We report on the design and characterization of a cold atom source for strontium (Sr) based on a two-dimensional magneto-optical trap (MOT) that is directly loaded from the atom jet of a dispenser. We characterize the atom flux of the source by measuring the loading rate of a three-dimensional MOT. We find loading rates of up to 108 atoms per second. The setup is compact, easy to construct, and has low power consumption. It addresses the longstanding challenge of reducing the complexity of cold beam sources for Sr, which is relevant for optical atomic clocks, quantum simulation, and computing devices based on ultracold Sr.
A supersonic beam source for SrF and BaF molecules is constructed by combining the expansion of carrier gas (a mixture of 2% SF6 and 98% argon) from an Even–Lavie valve with laser ablation of a barium/strontium metal target at a repetition rate of 10 Hz. Molecular beams with a narrow translational velocity spread are produced at relative values of Δv/v = 0.053(11) and 0.054(9) for SrF and BaF, respectively. The relative velocity spread of the beams produced in our source is lower in comparison with the results from other metal fluoride beams produced in supersonic laser ablation sources. The rotational temperature of BaF is measured to be 3.5 K. The source produces 6 × 108 and 107 molecules per steradian per pulse in the X2Σ+ (ν = 0, N = 1) state of BaF and SrF molecules, respectively, a state amenable to Stark deceleration and laser cooling.
We present a high-flux source of cold strontium atoms based on a two-dimensional magneto-optical trap (2D MOT) and a Zeeman slower. We use the source to load a 3D MOT in a separate science chamber, observing a loading rate of 4×1010 atoms/s—to our knowledge, the highest reported loading flux for strontium. To characterize the vacuum pressure in the science chamber, we load the atoms into a magnetic trap and measure a lifetime of between 8 and 24 s, depending on the oven temperature. Finally, we characterize the atom flux and velocity distributions from the oven and from the 2D MOT source, finding reasonable agreement with models in the free molecular flow regime. Our results show that it is possible to readily produce a cold strontium flux at comparable levels to those of alkali species, at oven temperatures compatible with long-term operation, and at vacuum pressures suitable for state-of-the-art quantum experiments. We make our design available at no cost to benefit researchers in the quantum community.
We present the design, construction, and characterization of an integrated cold atomic beam source for strontium (Sr), which is based on a compact Zeeman slower for slowing the thermal atomic beam and an atomic deflector for selecting the cold flux. By adopting arrays of permanent magnets to produce the magnetic fields of the slower and the deflector, we effectively reduce the system size and power compared to traditional systems with magnetic coils. After the slower cooling, one can employ additional transverse cooling in the radial direction and improve the atom collimation. The atomic deflectors employ two stages of two-dimensional magnetic-optical trapping (MOT) to deflect the cold flux, whose atomic speed is lower than 50 m/s, by 20° from the thermal atomic beam. We characterize the cold atomic beam flux of the source by measuring the loading rate of a three-dimensional MOT. The loading rates reach up to 109 atoms/s. The setup is compact, highly tunable, lightweight, and requires low electrical power, which addresses the challenge of reducing the complexity of building optical atomic clocks and quantum simulation devices based on Sr.
We report on the realization of a transversely loaded two-dimensional magneto-optical trap serving as a source for cold strontium atoms. We analyze the dependence of the source's properties on various parameters, in particular the intensity of a pushing beam accelerating the atoms out of the source. An atomic flux exceeding 109atoms/s{10}^{9}\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{atoms}/\mathrm{s}109atoms/s at a rather moderate oven temperature of $500{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}\mathrm{C}$ is achieved. The longitudinal velocity of the atomic beam can be tuned over several tens of m/s by adjusting the power of the pushing laser beam. The beam divergence is around 60 mrad, determined by the transverse velocity distribution of the cold atoms. The slow atom source is used to load a three-dimensional magneto-optical trap realizing loading rates up to 109atoms/s{10}^{9}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{atoms}/\mathrm{s}109atoms/s without indication of saturation of the loading rate for increasing oven temperature. The compact setup avoids undesired effects found in alternative sources like, e.g., Zeeman slowers, such as vacuum contamination and black-body radiation due to the hot strontium oven.