Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 22, 2026

Experimental Methods for Trapping Ions Using Microfabricated Surface Ion Traps

Experimental Methods for Trapping Ions Using Microfabricated Surface Ion Traps

Published on: August 17, 2017

Light desorption from an yttrium neutralizer for Rb and Fr magneto-optical trap loading.

V Coppolaro¹, N Papi¹, A Khanbekyan¹

¹DSFTA and CNISM, University of Siena, via Roma 56, 53100 Siena, Italy.

The Journal of Chemical Physics

|October 10, 2014

Summary

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

A spectral- topological network signature of drug-resistant epilepsy: a phase 1-2 study on resting-state EEG-based diagnostic biomarkers of drug resistance.

NeuroImage. Clinical·2026

Same author

Numerical means for phase-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy for dynamic studies in plasmas.

The Review of scientific instruments·2026

Same author

Black Hole Spectroscopy and Tests of General Relativity with GW250114.

Physical review letters·2026

Same author

Individual Alpha Frequency as an EEG Biomarker of Drug-Related Cognitive Burden in Epilepsy.

European journal of neurology·2025

Same author

GW250114: Testing Hawking's Area Law and the Kerr Nature of Black Holes.

Physical review letters·2025

Same author

Monte Carlo dosimetry of silver-111 in simplified cell geometries in the framework of the ISOLPHARM project.

Applied radiation and isotopes : including data, instrumentation and methods for use in agriculture, industry and medicine·2025

We discovered photodesorption, ejecting neutral atoms from yttrium using low-intensity light. This method effectively loads Magneto-Optical Traps (MOTs) for Rubidium and Francium, even at room temperature.

Area of Science:

Atomic Physics
Laser Physics
Surface Science

Background:

Magneto-Optical Traps (MOTs) are crucial for trapping neutral atoms.
Efficiently loading MOTs, especially with radioactive isotopes like Francium (Fr), remains a challenge.
Yttrium (Y) foils are used as neutralizers for ion beams.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate photodesorption from yttrium using low-intensity light.
To demonstrate the effectiveness of photodesorption for loading MOTs with neutral atoms.
To explore the application of this technique for trapping radioactive Francium (Fr).

Main Methods:

Illumination of a yttrium foil with broadband flash light (pulsed regime) and continuous wave (CW) visible light.
Detection of photodesorbed neutral atoms.

More Related Videos

Hyperpolarized Xenon for NMR and MRI Applications

Hyperpolarized Xenon for NMR and MRI Applications

Published on: September 6, 2012

Optical Trap Loading of Dielectric Microparticles In Air

Optical Trap Loading of Dielectric Microparticles In Air

Published on: February 5, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 22, 2026

Experimental Methods for Trapping Ions Using Microfabricated Surface Ion Traps

Experimental Methods for Trapping Ions Using Microfabricated Surface Ion Traps

Published on: August 17, 2017

Hyperpolarized Xenon for NMR and MRI Applications

Hyperpolarized Xenon for NMR and MRI Applications

Published on: September 6, 2012

Optical Trap Loading of Dielectric Microparticles In Air

Optical Trap Loading of Dielectric Microparticles In Air

Published on: February 5, 2017

Loading of a Magneto-Optical Trap (MOT) with the desorbed atoms.

Analysis using an analytical rate equation model.

Main Results:

First evidence of photodesorption induced by low-intensity non-resonant light from yttrium.
Effective loading of MOTs with Rubidium (Rb) and Francium (Fr) atoms, with loading times comparable to flash rise time.
MOT population increase up to 10^5 atoms with CW illumination, even at room temperature.
Successful demonstration of photodesorption-aided loading of a (210)Fr MOT.

Conclusions:

Photodesorption is a viable method for loading MOTs with neutral atoms, including radioactive isotopes.
The technique is efficient and can operate under conditions that do not perturb vacuum or MOT dynamics.
This method offers a promising approach for trapping radioactive elements like Francium.