Magneto-optical trapping of potassium from a Zeeman cooled collimated atomic beam

Maryam Hiradfar, Sridhar Prabhu, Yoo Kyung Lee +4 more

Edgar J. D. Vredenbregt, K. A. H. van Leeuwen

Laser cooling and trapping have become widely used in the atomic physics laboratory. A computer program is presented that simulates some of the most important techniques employed, including atomic beam collimation, Zeeman slowing, funneling, and magneto-optical trapping. Its application ranges from experiment design to illustration of course material.

Hector Letellier, Álvaro Mitchell Galvão de Melo, A. Dorne +1 more

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.

Robert S. Williamson

C. Fort, Arturo Bambini, L. Cacciapuoti +4 more

Денис Дмитриевич Сукачев, Елена Сергеевна Калганова, А. В. Соколов +6 more

The number of laser cooled and trapped thulium atoms in a magneto-optical trap is increased by a factor of 3 using a two-dimensional optical molasses which collimated the atomic beam before entering a Zeeman slower. A diode laser operating at 410.6 nm was employed to form optical molasses: The laser was heated to 70 Degree-Sign C by a two-step temperature stabilisation system. The laser system consisting of a master oscillator and an injection-locked amplifier emitted more than 100 mW at 410 nm and had a spectral linewidth of 0.6 MHz. (extreme light fields and their applications)