Demonstration of a simple and compact ytterbium magneto-optical trap

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a compact, low-power ytterbium magneto-optical trap capable of trapping over a million atoms, highlighting its potential for portable quantum devices and field applications.

Contribution

The authors present a simple, low-SWaP design for a ytterbium MOT that achieves high atom numbers directly from a thermal beam, enabling portable cold atom systems.

Findings

Trapped 1.4 million $^{171}$Yb atoms.

Optimized trap parameters for maximum atom number.

Potential for field-deployable cold atom systems.

Abstract

We present a low Size, Weight and Power (SWaP), low-complexity, ytterbium magneto-optical trap (MOT). We demonstrate trapping of $1.4 \times 10^6$ $^{171}$Yb atoms on the $|{^1S_0}, F = 1/2\rangle \leftrightarrow |{^1P_1}, F' = 3/2\rangle$ transition directly from a hot thermal beam. We explore the effect of trap detuning and oven temperature on trap number, density, loading rate and sample temperature. The low SWaP and low-complexity design presents a realistic pathway towards portable ytterbium MOTs, allowing cold atom ytterbium systems to escape the confines of the laboratory and perform precision measurements in field environments.