We present a simple and inexpensive design for a multichannel effusive oven nozzle which provides improved atomic beam collimation and thus extended oven lifetimes. Using this design we demonstrate an atomic lithium source suitable for trapped-atom experiments. At a nozzle temperature of 525 • C the collimated atomic beam flux directly after the nozzle is 1.2 × 10 14 atoms per second with a peak beam intensity greater than 5.0×10 16 atoms per second per steradian. This suggests an oven lifetime of several decades of continuous operation.

We report on a simple novel trapping scheme for the generation of Bose-Einstein condensates of 87 Rb atoms. This scheme employs a near-infrared single beam optical dipole trap combined with a weak magnetic quadrupole field as used for magneto-optical trapping to enhance the confinement in axial direction. Efficient forced evaporative cooling to the phase transition is achieved in this weak hybrid trap via reduction of the laser intensity of the optical dipole trap at constant magnetic field gradient.A simple and robust method for the generation of quantum degenerate atomic gases with decent particle number and repetition rate is of interest for the study of their fundamental properties [1][2][3] or their applications in atomic inertial sensors [4] and gravimeters [5], as well as in microgravity [6]. Here, we describe a very simple method for the generation of a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) in a single beam near-infrared optical dipole trap (ODT). Optical dipole traps offer great potential with respect to the criteria mentioned above. Forced evaporative cooling in such traps is usually achieved by reducing the power of the ODT laser beam [7] and rethermalization times are generally short due to the high trapping frequencies in the kHz-regime usually provided by an ODT. However, power reduction also reduces the confinement of the atoms in the trap which in turn negatively affects trap frequencies, peak atomic density, elastic collision rate, and as a consequence the efficiency of forced evaporation. This counteracts the gain in phase space density by the cooling of the atomic cloud, thus preventing the regime of run-away evaporation in an ODT with this simple method [8]. Quantum degeneracy can nonetheless be reached in these traps, provided the initial atomic and phase space densities were high enough [9,10]. Nevertheless, the necessary compromise between high initial densities and high initial trapping volume severely affects the maximum number of particles in the BEC and additional sophisticated concepts for reaching optimized initial atomic and phase space densities may be required [11].The most simple realization of an ODT is to focus one single far-off resonant high power laser beam onto the atomic ensemble. However, due to the rather low confinement of the atoms in the axial direction of these single beam ODTs, the high initial atomic and phase space densities needed to reach quantum degeneracy are very hard to realize. This is particularly the case for single beam ODTs formed from a near-infrared laser source [12]. In * Rasel@iqo.uni-hannover.de contrast, the wavelength of a CO 2 laser of ∼ 10.6 µm provides an axial trapping frequency an order of magnitude higher compared to an ODT formed from e.g. a Nd:YAG laser at a wavelength of 1064 nm. This stronger confinement is still enough to allow for the realization of a BEC with more than 10 5 atoms [13]. Nevertheless, this method is bound to the use of far-infrared laser wavelengths with all the associated technical implications. If the use of laser wavelength...

Rapid determination of uranium isotope ratios by laser absorption spectroscopy.

We present a novel type of longitudinal Zeeman slower. The magnetic field profile is generated by a 3D array of permanent spherical magnets, which are self-assembled into a stable structure. The simplicity and stability of the design make it quick to assemble and inexpensive. In addition, as with other permanent magnet slowers, no electrical current or water cooling is required. We describe the theory, assembly, and testing of this new design. arXiv:1407.5372v1 [physics.atom-ph]

We present a novel compact design for a multichannel atomic oven which generates collimated beams of refractory atoms for fieldable laser spectroscopy. Using this resistively heated crucible, we demonstrate spectroscopy of an erbium sample at 1300 °C with improved isotopic resolution with respect to a single-channel design. In addition, our oven has a high thermal efficiency. By minimizing the surface area of the crucible, we achieve 2000 °C at 140 W of applied electrical power. As a result, the design does not require any active cooling and is compact enough to allow for its incorporation into fieldable instruments.