Design and research of two-dimensional magneto-optical trap of sodium atom using permanent magnets

Abstract

It is helpful to make full use of the laboratory space by simplifying the cold atom experimental system, especially in the area of aerospace and precision measurement. We present a two-dimensional magneto-optical trap (2DMOT) for sodium atoms, whose magnetic field is produced by four sets of permanent magnets, and the residual field in the vertical direction is used for a Zeeman slower. The atoms are cooled and trapped in a 2DMOT which provides a highly efficient atomic flux for three-dimensional magneto-optical trap (3DMOT) in a high-vacuum chamber. The maximum 3DMOT loading rate is measured to be 2.3 × 10<sup>9</sup>/s by optimizing the parameters of the Zeeman slower and the 2DMOT. The atom number trapped in 3DMOT is 6.2 × 10<sup>9</sup>. The 2DMOT designed by using permanent magnets has the property of compact structure and simple size, which can be used to cool and trap other neutral atoms.