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arXiv · 0706.1608

Magneto-optical Trapping of Cadmium

K. -A. Brickman·M. -S. Chang·M. Acton·A. Chew·D. Matsukevich·P. C. Haljan·V. S. Bagnato·C. Monroe
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Abstract

We report the laser-cooling and confinement of Cd atoms in a magneto-optical trap, and characterize the loading process from the background Cd vapor. The trapping laser drives the 1S0-1P1 transition at 229 nm in this two-electron atom and also photoionizes atoms directly from the 1P1 state. This photoionization overwhelms the other loss mechanisms and allows a direct measurement of the photoionization cross section, which we measure to be 2(1)x10^(-16)cm^(2) from the 1P1 state. When combined with nearby laser-cooled and trapped Cd^(+) ions, this apparatus could facilitate studies in ultracold interactions between atoms and ions.

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K. -A. Brickman, M. -S. Chang, M. Acton, A. Chew, D. Matsukevich, P. C. Haljan, V. S. Bagnato, C. Monroe. 2007-06-12. Magneto-optical Trapping of Cadmium. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.76.043411

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