Dual Hg-Rb magneto-optical trap

Opt Express. 2017 Feb 20;25(4):3165-3179. doi: 10.1364/OE.25.003165.

Abstract

We present a two-species laser cooling apparatus capable of simultaneously collecting Rb and Hg atomic gases into a magneto-optical trap (MOT). The atomic sources, laser system, and vacuum set-up are described. While there is a loss of Rb atoms in the MOT due to photoionization by the Hg cooling laser, we show that it does not prevent simultaneous trapping of Rb and Hg. We also demonstrate interspecies collision-induced losses in the 87Rb-202Hg system.