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Realization of a single-beam mini magneto-optical trap: A candidate for compact CPT cold atom-clocks

✍ Scribed by B.M. Xu; X. Chen; J. Wang; M.S. Zhan


Publisher
Elsevier Science
Year
2008
Tongue
English
Weight
317 KB
Volume
281
Category
Article
ISSN
0030-4018

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✦ Synopsis


We have demonstrated the experimental realization of a single-beam mini magneto-optical trap (MOT) of 87 Rb atoms, originally designed for a cold atom clock with coherent population trapping (CPT). Only one beam is used as cooling, trapping and repumping beams rather than the three pairs of orthogonal beams of the standard magneto-optical trap. The core optics, which consists of a modified pyramidal funnel type mirror, a quarter-wave plate and a retroreflect mirror, is installed inside a mini titanium cubic chamber. The vacuum system, rubidium source, magnetic field coils and beam expander are designed in a compact geometry. As many as 1.1 Â 10 7 rubidium atoms are cooled and trapped, and thus the mini trap is ready for the implementation of a novel compact coherent population trapping cold atom-clock.