Continuous outcoupling of ultracold strontium atoms combining three different traps

Abstract

We have demonstrated the continuous outcoupling of ultracold 88Sr atoms using a moving optical lattice. While Sr atoms are Zeeman-slowed and magneto-optically trapped on the 1S0–1P1 transition, the atoms relaxed to the 5s5p 3P2 metastable state are magnetically trapped and Doppler cooled on the 5s5p 3P2–5s4d 3D3 transition at 2.92 μm. By optically pumping the atoms to the 5s5p 3P0 state, we outcouple the atoms by a moving optical lattice. Such a continuous atomic source enables superradiant lasers and the zero-dead-time operation of atom interferometers and optical lattice clocks.