Injection of a cold atomic beam into a magnetic guide

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates methods for efficiently loading cold atomic beams into a magnetic guide, comparing optical and magnetic coupling schemes, and achieving low-velocity atom injection.

Contribution

It introduces a magnetic confinement transfer scheme that enables injection of atoms at velocities as low as 70 cm/s into a magnetic guide.

Findings

Magnetic confinement transfer scheme reduces atom heating.

Achieved injection of atoms at 70 cm/s velocity.

Compared optical and magnetic coupling schemes.

Abstract

We report the continuous or pulsed loading of a slow and cold atomic beam into a magnetic guide. In order to optimize the transfer into the guide, we have studied two coupling schemes. The first one is based on an auxiliary two-dimensional MOT that confines the atoms transversally before they enter the guide. However, for low atomic velocities, the atoms are strongly heated in the longitudinal direction. This limitation does not occur in the second coupling scheme which relies on magnetic confinement in the transfer zone. For this purpose, we have constructed a miniature magnetic guide located between the atomic source and the long magnetic guide. The latter scheme allows to inject atoms with velocities down to 70 cm/s into the guide.