Loading of a large Yb MOT on the 1S0 → 1P1 transition

Area of Science:

• Atomic, Molecular, and Optical (AMO) Physics
• Quantum Science and Technology

Background:

• Laser cooling and trapping of atoms are fundamental techniques in AMO physics.
• Efficiently trapping large atom numbers is crucial for precision measurements and quantum simulations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present an experimental setup for laser cooling and trapping a large quantity of ytterbium atoms.
• To characterize the atomic beam, magneto-optical trap loading rate, and loss mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an oven with micro-tubes for efficient atomic beam collimation.
• Implemented a magneto-optical trap for 174-ytterbium (174Yb) atoms on the 399 nm transition.
• Characterized atomic beam properties, trap loading, and loss mechanisms without a Zeeman slower.

Main Results:

• Achieved a loading rate of 4 × 10^9 atoms/s without a Zeeman slower.
• Trapped up to 10^9 atoms, with light-assisted collisions identified as the primary loss mechanism.
• Precisely characterized the atomic beam and trap dynamics.

Conclusions:

• The presented experimental setup enables efficient laser cooling and trapping of large ytterbium atom numbers.
• Understanding loss mechanisms is critical for optimizing large atom number trapping in future experiments.