Magneto-optical trapping of radioactive82Rbatoms

Abstract

We report the successful trapping of $6\times {10}^6$ ${}^{82}\mathrm{Rb}$ ${(t}_{1/2}=75\mathrm{}\mathrm{s})$ atoms with a trap lifetime of $\sim 30\mathrm{s}$ in a magneto-optical trap that is coupled to an off-line mass separator. Efficient sample introduction is achieved by implanting ${}^{82}\mathrm{Rb}$ ions into a small yttrium catcher foil located inside the trapping cell. Upon heating, the radioactive atoms are released from the foil and trapped without significant gas loading. This advancement makes a variety of high-precision electroweak interaction experiments possible, including the measurement of β-decay correlations associated with spin-polarized ${}^{82}\mathrm{Rb}$ nuclei.