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arXiv · 1711.01060

Efficient and robust photo-ionization loading of beryllium ions

Sebastian Wolf·Dominik Studer·Klaus Wendt·Ferdinand Schmidt-Kaler
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Abstract

We demonstrate the efficient generation of Be$^+$ ions with a 60 ns and 150 nJ laser pulse near 235 nm for two-step photo-ionization, proven by subsequent counting the number of ions loaded into a linear Paul trap. The bandwidth and power of the laser pulse are chosen in such a way that a first, resonant step fully saturates the entire velocity distribution of beryllium atoms effusing from a thermal oven. The second excitation step is driven by the same light field causing efficient non-resonant ionization. Our ion-loading scheme is more than 15 times more efficient as compared to former pathways using two-photon continuous wave laser excitation.

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Sebastian Wolf, Dominik Studer, Klaus Wendt, Ferdinand Schmidt-Kaler. 2017-11-03. Efficient and robust photo-ionization loading of beryllium ions. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-018-6903-3

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