Magneto-optical preparation of a slow, cold and bright Ne ∗ atomic beam

Abstract

An efficient experimental scheme for the generation of a monochromatic, slow and bright atomic beam is reported. It combines the good efficiency of a Zeeman-slower for medium slow final velocities with an optimized atomic funnel design. The two severe problems of a Zeeman-slower, as there is the high final divergence and the vanishing efficiency for very low final velocities, are overcome. The total efficiency in flux of the complete device has been measured to more than 10% of the thermal atomic beam. Using a beam of metastable neon atoms (Ne ∗) a beam with a transverse velocity spread of σ x < 0.34 m/s and a mean longitudinal velocity of 19 m/s with a spread of σ v < 1.5 m/s is prepared. By this preparation technique a purely metastable atomic beam is obtained, all Ne atoms in the 3s[3/2] 2-state.