Loading a vapor-cell magneto-optic trap using light-induced atom desorption - art. no. 023404

Low-intensity white light was used to increase the loading rate of Rb-87 at oms into a vapor-cell magnetooptic trap by inducing nonthermal desorption o f Rb atoms from the stainless-steel walls of the vapor cell. An increased R b partial pressure reached a new equilibrium value in fewer than 10 s after switching on the broadband light source. After the sourer was turned off, the partial pressure returned to its previous value in 1/e times as short a s 10 s.