Two-color ytterbium magneto-optical trap in a compact dual-chamber setup

We present an experimental scheme for producing ultracold ytterbium atoms in a compact dual-chamber setup. A dispenser-loaded two-dimensional magneto-optical trap (MOT) using permanent magnets and operating on the broad 1S0→1P1 singlet transition delivers over 107 atoms per second through a differential pumping stage into a three-dimensional MOT. The two-color three-dimensional MOT uses the broad singlet transition to accumulate ∼2×107 atoms of 174Yb within 2.5 s and subsequently the narrow 1S0→3P1 intercombination line to cool the atomic cloud to below 10 µK. We report optimized parameters for each stage of the atom collection sequence, achieving high transfer efficiency. We find that shelving into the triplet state during the broad-transition MOT almost doubles the number of trapped atoms. locked icon locked icon locked icon locked icon locked icon locked icon locked icon locked icon locked icon locked icon locked icon locked icon locked icon locked icon locked icon Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)Cooling & trappingRydberg gasesAlkaline earth metalsAtomsRydberg atoms & moleculesTrapped atomsAtom & ion cooling