Efficient, Tightly-Confined Trapping of 226Ra

TL;DR

This paper presents a method for efficiently transferring radium-226 atoms into a tightly confined optical trap, achieving high transfer efficiencies and precise control over atomic states for potential applications in fundamental physics experiments.

Contribution

The authors develop a novel multi-stage transfer technique for radium-226 atoms into a small, well-controlled optical trap with high efficiency, advancing experimental capabilities in atomic physics.

Findings

Achieved over 60% transfer efficiency at each stage.

Successfully transferred atoms into a 120 μm diameter trap.

Demonstrated precise control of atomic states in the trap.

Abstract

We demonstrate a technique for transferring $^{226}$Ra atoms from a 3-dimensional magneto-optical-trap (MOT) into a standing wave optical dipole trap (ODT) in an adjacent chamber. The resulting small trapping volume (120 $\mu$m in diameter) allows for high control of the electric and magnetic fields applied to the atoms. The atoms are first transferred to a traveling-wave optical dipole trap, which is then translated 46 cm to a science chamber. The atoms are subsequently transferred into an orthogonal standing-wave ODT by application of a 1-dimensional MOT along the traveling-wave axis. For each stage, transfer efficiencies exceeding 60% are demonstrated.