Zeeman slowing of thulium atoms

Abstract

We demonstrate laser slowing of a hot thulium atomic beam using the nearly closed cycling transition $4{\text{f}}^{13}6{\text{s}}^2{(}^2{\text{F}}^{\circ })(J=7/2)\leftrightarrow 4{\text{f}}^{12}{(}^3{\text{H}}_5)5{\text{d}}_{3/2}6{\text{s}}^2(J=9/2)$ at 410.6 nm. Atoms are decelerated to velocities around 25 m/s by a 40 cm Zeeman slower. The flux of slowed atoms is evaluated as $10^7{\text{s}}^{-1}{\text{cm}}^{-2}$. The experiment explicitly indicates the possibility of trapping Tm atoms in a magneto-optical trap.

3 pages, 4 figures