Simultaneous magneto-optical trapping of lithium and ytterbium atoms towards production of ultracold polar molecules

摘要

We have successfully implemented the first simultaneous magneto-opticaltrapping (MOT) of lithium ($^6$Li) and ytterbium ($^{174}$Yb) atoms, towardsproduction of ultracold polar molecules of LiYb. For this purpose, we developedthe dual atomic oven which contains both atomic species as an atom source andsuccessfully observed the spectra of the Li and Yb atoms in the atomic beamsfrom the dual atomic oven. We constructed the vacuum chamber including theglass cell with the windows made of zinc selenium (ZnSe) for the CO$_2$ lasers,which are the useful light sources of optical trapping for evaporative andsympathetic cooling. Typical atom numbers and temperatures in the compressedMOT are 7$\times10^3$ atoms, 640 $\mu$K for $^6$Li, 7$\times10^4$ atoms and 60$\mu$K for $^{174}$Yb, respectively.