On continuous loading of a U-magneto-optical trap (U-MOT) on atom-chip in ultra high vacuum

TL;DR

This study demonstrates continuous loading of a U-MOT on an atom-chip in ultra high vacuum, analyzing how rubidium vapor pressure affects MOT performance and lifetime, which is crucial for magnetic trapping experiments.

Contribution

It provides detailed measurements of rubidium vapor pressure and MOT dynamics in UHV, highlighting the impact of dispenser current on trap loading and lifetime.

Findings

Rubidium vapor pressure increases with dispenser current.

Higher dispenser current decreases MOT lifetime.

Pressure estimates inform magnetic trapping experiments.

Abstract

Here, we report our studies on the continuous loading of a U-magneto-optical trap (U-MOT) on atom-chip from background rubidium (Rb) vapor generated using a dispenser source in ultra high vacuum (UHV) environment. Using the U-MOT loading curves, the partial pressure due to Rb vapor and pressure due to background gas have been estimated near the MOT cloud position. The estimated pressure due to Rb vapor increased from $\sim \; 1.4 \times 10^{-10}$ Torr to $ \sim \; 4.1 \times 10^{-9} $ Torr as Rb-dispenser current was increased from 2.8 to 3.4 A. The increase in dispenser current also resulted in decrease in loading as well as lifetime of the MOT cloud. This study is useful for magnetic trapping experiments where accurate information of pressure in chamber is important for the lifetime of the magnetic trap.