arXiv:2308.00387 · Review of Scientific Instruments

Loading of a large Yb MOT on the 1 S 0 → 1 P 1 transition

Hector Letellier, Álvaro Mitchell Galvão de Melo, A. Dorne, Robin Kaiser

Published Dec 1, 2023• 12 citations

Abstract

We present an experimental setup to laser cool and trap a large number of ytterbium atoms. Our design uses an oven with an array of micro-tubes for efficient collimation of the atomic beam, and we implement a magneto-optical trap of 174Yb on the 1S0 → 1P1 transition at 399 nm. Despite the absence of a Zeeman slower, we obtain a loading of 4 × 109 at./s. We trap up to N = 109 at., where light-assisted collisions become the dominant loss mechanism. We precisely characterize our atomic beam, the loading rate of the magneto-optical trap, and several loss mechanisms relevant for trapping a large number of atoms.

DOI: 10.1063/5.0169772

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