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arXiv · 2508.16145

Demonstration of a simple and compact ytterbium magneto-optical trap

Benjamin White·Rachel F. Offer·Ashby P. Hilton·Elizaveta Klantsataya·Christopher J. Billington·Nicolas Bourbeau Hébert·Montanna Nelligan·Andre N. Luiten
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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.

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Benjamin White, Rachel F. Offer, Ashby P. Hilton, Elizaveta Klantsataya, Christopher J. Billington, Nicolas Bourbeau Hébert, Montanna Nelligan, Andre N. Luiten. 2025-08-22. Demonstration of a simple and compact ytterbium magneto-optical trap. https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.16145

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