AN EFFICIENT PHOTO-ATOM SOURCE

We show that it is possible to obtain a very efficient photo-atom sour ce, whose atom flux is regulated by light. The atom release is due to the recently observed light-induced atom desorption effect from silane coated cells. We report the results obtained at room temperature with rubidium in a double body cell coated with (poly)dimethyl-siloxane. T his kind of photo-atom source can be immediately extended to other alk ali atoms, namely sodium, potassium and cesium. Possible applications are discussed.