Lithium-cesium slow beam from a two-dimensional magneto-optical trap

Abstract

We present the creation of a lithium-cesium slow beam using a two-dimensional magneto-optical trap. The two-species atomic beam is directed to load a three-dimensional magneto-optical trap in ultrahigh vacuum. We achieve a loading rate of 1.3$\times$10$^{7}$ lithium atoms/s with the lithium oven temperature at 370~$^{\circ}$C and 2.2$\times$10$^{7}$ cesium atoms/s with the Cs oven temperature at 20~$^{\circ}$C. The maximum numbers of lithium and cesium atoms in the trap are 1.0$\times$10$^{9}$ and 1.4$\times$10$^{8}$, respectively. Our results show that the simple and compact two-dimensional magneto-optical trap is suitable for producing an atomic beam of two species that have a large mass ratio and very different volatilities.