Hsu Chung Chuan (Michael) — A compact and laser-induced source of ultracold strontium atoms

We demonstrate a compact approach to generate ultracold strontium atoms and report trapping of 4.5 million atoms with a total system size of 0.5m$^3$. A novel ablation technique is implemented where pure strontium solid granules are ablated to produce atomic vapor, which is then loaded and trapped in a 3D magneto-optical trap (MOT) within a low-pressure environment. Using a single-pulse ablation power of 35W, we observe a loading time of 40ms with an average lifetime of 4.5s. The results show great potential for applications in quantum technology and outdoor inertial sensing and precision measurement experiments. The ablation technique also opens possibilities of unprecedented laser cooling for elements such as Tungsten.