Magneto-optical trapping of Yb atoms using an intercombination transition

Abstract

We report the magneto-optical trapping of ytterbium atoms using the ${6s}^{2}{}^{1}{S}_{0}\ensuremath{-}6s6p{}^{3}{P}_{1}$ intercombination transition. The magneto-optical trap is continuously loaded from an atomic beam decelerated by a Zeeman-tuned atomic-beam slower operated at the ${6s}^{2}{}^{1}{S}_{0}\ensuremath{-}6s6p{}^{1}{P}_{1}$ transition. Among seven stable isotopes of ytterbium, six isotopes $\mathrm{of}{ }^{170}\mathrm{Y}\mathrm{b},$ ${}^{171}\mathrm{Yb},$ ${}^{172}\mathrm{Yb},$ ${}^{173}\mathrm{Yb},$ ${}^{174}\mathrm{Yb},$ and ${}^{176}\mathrm{Yb}$ are successfully trapped. The number and density of the trapped atoms are about ${10}^{8}$ and ${10}^{11} {\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3},$ respectively. The temperature of atoms is estimated to be about $20 \ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{K}$ from the time-of-flight measurement. The decay time of the trapped atoms after stopping the loading of atoms is about 3 s.