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arXiv:2509.00790 · Review of Scientific Instruments

Permanent magnet-based Zeeman slower for lithium atoms

Roy Elbaz, Fatema Hamodi-Gzal, N. Priel, Majdi Gzal, Lev Khaykovich

Published Dec 1, 2025• 0 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We describe the design, construction, and characterization of a permanent-magnet-based, transverse-field Zeeman slower for lithium atoms. We use off-the-shelf, compact permanent bar magnets in the Halbach configuration to create a uniform magnetic field in the transverse direction. We develop a general approach for a mechanical structure that supports the spatial distribution of magnets using 3D printing technology. The approach allows for flexible assembly and dismantling of the magnetic field on the target vacuum system. Finally, we verify that the Zeeman slower supports a high flux of slow atoms in the region of the magneto-optical trap.

DOI
10.1063/5.0297318

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We describe the design, construction, and characterization of a permanent-magnet-based, transverse-field Zeeman slower for lithium atoms. We use off-the-shelf, compact permanent bar magnets in the Halbach configuration to create a uniform magnetic field in the transverse direction. We develop a general approach for a mechanical structure that supports the spatial distribution of magnets using 3D printing technology. The approach allows for flexible assembly and dismantling of the magnetic field on the target vacuum system. Finally, we verify that the Zeeman slower supports a high flux of slow atoms in the region of the magneto-optical trap.
We describe a simple Zeeman slower design using permanent magnets. Contrary to common wire-wound setups, no electric power and water cooling are required. In addition, the whole system can be assembled and disassembled at will. The magnetic field is however transverse to the atomic motion and an extra repumper laser is necessary. A Halbach configuration of the magnets produces a high quality magnetic field and no further adjustment is needed. After optimization of the laser parameters, the apparatus produces an intense beam of slow and cold (87)Rb atoms. With typical fluxes of (1-5) × 10(10) atoms/s at 30 m s(-1), our apparatus efficiently loads a large magneto-optical trap with more than 10(10) atoms in 1 s, which is an ideal starting point for degenerate quantum gas experiments.
We present the design of a Zeeman slower for calcium atoms using permanent magnets instead of more traditional electromagnets and the novel technique of 3D printing to create a very robust and flexible structure for these magnets. Zeeman slowers are ideal tools to slow atoms from several hundreds of meters per second to just a few tens of meters per second. These slower atoms can then easily be trapped in a magneto-optical trap, making Zeeman slowers a very valuable tool in many cold atom labs. The use of permanent magnets and 3D printing results in a highly stable and robust slower that is suitable for undergraduate laboratories. In our design, we arranged 28 magnet pairs, 2.0 cm apart along the axis of the slower and at varying radial distances from the axis. We determined the radial position of the magnets by simulating the combined field of all magnet pairs using Mathematica and comparing it to the ideal theoretical field for a Zeeman slower. Finally, we designed a stable, robust, compact, and easy-to-align mounting structure for the magnets in Google Sketchup, which we then printed using a commercially available 3D printer by Solidoodle. The resulting magnetic field is well suited to slow calcium atoms from the 770 m/s rms velocity at a temperature of 950 K, down to the capture velocity of the magneto-optical trap.
Abstract We present a thorough analysis of a Zeeman slower for sodium atoms made of permanent magnets in a Halbach configuration. Due to the orientation of the magnetic field, the polarization of the slowing laser beam cannot be purely circular, leading to optical leakages into dark states. To circumvent this effect, we propose an atomic state preparation stage that is able to significantly increase the performance of the Zeeman slower. After a careful theoretical analysis of the problem, we experimentally implement an optical pumping stage leading to an increase in the magneto-optical trap loading rate by 3.5. Such a method is easy to set up and could be extended to other Zeeman slower architectures.
We present the design, construction, and characterization of longitudinal- and transverse-field Zeeman slowers, based on arrays of permanent magnets, for slowing thermal beams of atomic Sr. The slowers are optimized for operation with deceleration related to the local laser intensity (by the parameter ), which uses more effectively the available laser power, in contrast to the usual constant deceleration mode. Slowing efficiencies of up to ≈18% are realized and compared to those predicted by modelling. We highlight the transverse-field slower, which is compact, highly tunable, light-weight, and requires no electrical power, as a simple solution to slowing Sr, well-suited to space-borne application. For 88 Sr we achieve a slow-atom flux of around 6 × 10 9 atoms s −1 at 30 ms −1 , loading approximately 5 × 10 8 atoms in to a magneto-optical-trap, and capture all isotopes in approximate relative natural abundances.
Abstract We present a modular Zeeman slower (ZS) based on permanent magnets, designed for miniaturized quantum sensor applications like Sr optical lattice clocks. Using a longitudinal magnetic field geometry, the 3D printed system replicates the field profile of traditional solenoid-based ZSs without power consumption or active cooling. The ZS achieves comparable performance to solenoid-based designs, with a similar number of Sr atoms loaded into the magneto-optical trap at 461 nm transition. This approach offers a low-cost, low-power solution for portable quantum technologies.
We report the successful demonstration and characterisation of a Zeeman slower based on an array of permanent magnets, implemented for atomic Sr on the1S0→1P1transition at 461 nm. Measurements of longitudinal velocity distributions and MOT loading characteristics are presented. In particular, we highlight a simple transverse-field slower, which is both compact and highly tunable, light weight (≤ 2 kg), and with no power load, as a favourable option for space-borne operation. For optimum parameters of this slower we achieve a slow flux of ~ 3.5 × 109atom/s at ~ 30 m/s for88Sr and load ~ 2.5 × 107atoms into a magneto-optical-trap (MOT) operating on the same1S0→1P1transition, which scales approximately with the relative isotopic natural abundances of Sr. With the addition of repumpers at 707 nm and 679 nm, we achieve a factor of ~ 17 enhancement to MOT number with loading time ~ 0.5 s.