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Efficient magneto-optical trapping of a metastable helium gas

F. Pereira Dos Santos·F. Perales·J. Leonard·A. Sinatra·Junmin Wang·F. S. Pavone·E. Rasel·C. S. Unnikrishnan·M. Leduc
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Abstract

This article presents a new experiment aiming at BEC of metastable helium atoms. It describes the design of a high flux discharge source of atoms and a robust laser system using a DBR diode coupled with a high power Yb doped fiber amplifier for manipulating the beam of metastable atoms. The atoms are trapped in a small quartz cell in an extreme high vacuum. The trapping design uses an additional laser (repumper) and allows the capture of a large number of metastable helium atoms (approximately $10^9$) in a geometry favorable for loading a tight magnetostatic trap.

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F. Pereira Dos Santos, F. Perales, J. Leonard, A. Sinatra, Junmin Wang, F. S. Pavone, E. Rasel, C. S. Unnikrishnan, M. Leduc. 2001-03-20. Efficient magneto-optical trapping of a metastable helium gas. https://doi.org/10.1051/epjap%3A2001140

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