Simultaneous magneto-optical trapping of lithium and ytterbium atoms towards production of ultracold polar molecules

TL;DR

This paper reports the first successful simultaneous magneto-optical trapping of lithium and ytterbium atoms, a crucial step towards creating ultracold polar molecules of LiYb for quantum applications.

Contribution

The development of a dual atomic oven and the implementation of a combined MOT for Li and Yb atoms are novel advancements in ultracold molecule research.

Findings

Achieved simultaneous MOT of Li and Yb atoms.

Observed spectra of both atomic species from the dual oven.

Produced cold atomic samples suitable for molecule formation.

Abstract

We have successfully implemented the first simultaneous magneto-optical trapping (MOT) of lithium ($^6$Li) and ytterbium ($^{174}$Yb) atoms, towards production of ultracold polar molecules of LiYb. For this purpose, we developed the dual atomic oven which contains both atomic species as an atom source and successfully observed the spectra of the Li and Yb atoms in the atomic beams from the dual atomic oven. We constructed the vacuum chamber including the glass cell with the windows made of zinc selenium (ZnSe) for the CO$_2$ lasers, which are the useful light sources of optical trapping for evaporative and sympathetic cooling. Typical atom numbers and temperatures in the compressed MOT are 7$\times10^3$ atoms, 640 $\mu$K for $^6$Li, 7$\times10^4$ atoms and 60 $\mu$K for $^{174}$Yb, respectively.