Related papers: Analyzing a single-laser repumping scheme for effi…
We present a faster repumping scheme for strontium magneto-optical traps operating on the broad ${\mathrm{5s^2} ^1\mathrm{S}_0} - {\mathrm{5s5p} ^1\mathrm{P}_1}$ laser cooling transition. Contrary to existing repumping schemes, we directly…
The theoretical description of the external degrees of freedom of atoms trapped inside a magneto-optical trap (MOT) often relies on the decoupling of the evolution of the internal and external degrees of freedom. That is possible thanks to…
Radiative decay from the excited $^1P_1$ state to metastable $^3P_2$ and $^3P_0$ states is expected to limit attainable trapped atomic population in a magneto-optic trap of ytterbium (Yb) atoms. In experiments we have carried out with…
We explore the efficacy of two single-repumping schemes, $5s5p \,{}^3P_2 - 5p^2 \,{}^3P_2$ ($481\,\mathrm{nm}$) and $5s5p \,{}^3P_2 - 5s5d \,{}^3D_2$ ($497\,\mathrm{nm}$), for a magneto-optical trap (MOT) of Sr atoms. We reveal that the…
We report on a technique to improve the continuous loading of atomic strontium into a magnetic trap from a Magneto-Optical Trap (MOT). This is achieved by adding a depumping laser tuned to the 3P1 to 3S1 (688-nm) transition. The depumping…
We investigate the limiting factors in the standard implementation of the Ca magneto-optical trap. We find that intercombination transitions from the 4s5p 1P1 state used to repump electronic population from the 3d4s 1D2 state severely…
We explore the efficacy of optical pumping on the $5s4d\,{}^1D_2 - 5s8p\,{}^1P_1$ ($448\,\mathrm{nm}$) transition in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) of Sr atoms. The number of trapped atoms is enhanced by a factor of $12.0(6)$ relative to the…
We describe repumping and spectroscopy of laser-cooled strontium (Sr) atoms using the (5s5p)3P2 - (5s4d)3D2 transition. Atom number in a magneto-optical trap is enhanced by driving this transition because Sr atoms that have decayed into the…
This article presents spectroscopy results of the $5s5p{\;^3}P_0 \rightarrow 5s5d{\;^3}D_1$ transition in all isotopes of laser cooled Sr atoms and the utility of this transition for repumping application. By employing the $5s5p{\;^{3}…
We describe an atom trapping mechanism based upon differential optical pumping between metastable hyperfine states by partially-displaced laser beams in the absence of a magnetic field. With realistic laser powers, trap spring constants…
We report on a strategy to maximize the number of chromium atoms transferred from a magneto-optical trap into an optical trap through accumulation in metastable states via strong optical pumping. We analyse how the number of atoms in a…
We present a scheme to enhance the atom number in magneto-optical traps of strontium atoms operating on the 461 nm transition. This scheme consists of resonantly driving the $^1$S$_0\to^3$P$_1$ intercombination line at 689 nm, which…
We report on a two-fold increase of the $^{39}Ar$ loading rate in an atom trap by enhancing the generation of metastable atoms in a discharge source. Additional atoms in the metastable $1s_5$ level (Paschen notation) are obtained via…
We study a novel repumping transition for $^{88}$Sr atoms trapped in a 'blue' magneto-optical trap. We show that, while the repumping efficiency is about three orders of magnitude smaller than for traditional schemes, it is sufficient for…
We describe an experimental apparatus capable of achieving a high loading rate of strontium atoms in a magneto-optical trap operating in a high vacuum environment. A key innovation of this setup is a two dimensional magneto-optical trap…
We realize an experimental facility for cooling and trapping strontium (Sr) atoms and measure the Land\'e g factor of $^{3}$D$_{1}$ of $^{88}$Sr. Thanks to a novel repumping scheme with the $^{3}$P$_{2}$$\rightarrow$$^{3}$S$_{1}$ and…
Reconfigurable arrays of trapped single atoms are an excellent platform for the simulation of many-body physics and the realisation of high-fidelity quantum gates. The confinement of atoms is often achieved with focussed laser beams acting…
We demonstrate laser cooling and magneto-optical trapping of europium. The atoms are optically pumped to a metastable state and then loaded from an atomic-beam source via conventional Zeeman slowing and magneto-optical trapping techniques…
We propose a scheme to transfer molecules from a slow beam into an optical trap using only a single photon absorption and emission cycle. The efficiency of such a scheme is numerically explored for BaF using realistic experimental…
We demonstrate an efficient scheme for continuous trap loading based upon spatially selective optical pumping. We discuss the case of $^{1}$S$_{0}$ calcium atoms in an optical dipole trap (ODT), however, similar strategies should be…