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Measurement Science and Technology

A Zeeman slower based on permanent magnets for optical atomic clocks

Sławomir Bilicki, Piotr Morzyński, Simon Stellmer, M. Zawada

Published Jun 3, 2026• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

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.

DOI
10.1088/1361-6501/ae7744

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Journal of Time and Frequency•Jan 1, 2014•0 citations
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 develop a permanent-magnet Zeeman slower with adjustable magnets along the longitudinal and radial directions. Produced by four arrays of cylindrical magnets, the longitudinal magnetic field in the slower is tunable if relevant parameters vary, for example, laser detuning or intensity. The proposed Zeeman slower can be reconfigured for Sr atoms. Additionally, we demonstrate that the residual magnetic field produced by the permanent magnets in the magneto-optical trap region can be as small as 0.5 Gs.
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.
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.
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.
Optical atomic clocks have proven to be the most stable clocks with the lowest systematic uncertainty which has now reached a record level of (9.4 X10/(^{19}/)). Thus optical clocks now surpass the best fountain Cs atomic clocks by three orders of magnitude which opens the prospect of using optical clocks as frequency standards for timekeeping in the near future. \n \nThis thesis describes the progress that has been made towards a stationary optical lattice clock based on strontium atoms, and reports the results of an ongoing characterization. \n \nAn experimental apparatus was designed and built to efficiently slow, cool, and trap the strontium atoms which represent the heart of the strontium optical lattice clock discussed in this thesis. The novel aspects of the experimental development described in the thesis comprise a frequency doubling cavity for producing 461 nm laser light employed for cooling and trapping the strontium atoms in the first stage cooling. This cavity provided sufficient power for cooling and trapping the strontium atoms for up to 300 mW of 461 nm laser light. Furthermore, a new design of Zeeman slower based on spherical permanent magnets was produced, built and characterized. \n \nThe slower is compact, tunable, easy to assemble and maintain, and cost-effective as the permanent magnets do not require any power supply or water cooling. It is suggested that this kind of Zeeman slower constitutes an ideal solution for portable optical clock systems. A blue magneto-optical trap was realized for the first time with such a Zeeman slower. With about 30 mW of a 461 nm laser, up to 6X10/(^8/) atoms were captured.
Transverse Zeeman slower composed of an array of permanent magnets is investigated for Sr optical clock. We calculated the magnetic field distribution of 88 Sr atoms based on experimental condition, achieving a reduction of the velocity of atoms from 410 m/s to 50 m/s. The atoms flux through the transverse magnetic field was 7.9×105. Such permanent Zeeman slower needs no high currents or water cooling and the spatial distribution of its magnetic field can be adjusted. Another advantage of this Zeeman slower is its small size and high reliability. Therefore, a miniature Zeeman slower can be attained.