Open AccessAn orthotropic source of thermal atoms
Author(s) -
T. Dinneen,
A. Ghiorso,
Harvey Gould
Publication year - 1995
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/95177
Subject(s) - atomic physics , beam (structure) , orthotropic material , ion , beam divergence , thermal , alkali metal , energetic neutral atom , work (physics) , divergence (linguistics) , aperture (computer memory) , ion beam , materials science , physics , optics , laser , laser beams , laser beam quality , finite element method , thermodynamics , linguistics , philosophy , quantum mechanics , meteorology , acoustics
A highly efficient source that produces a narrow beam of neutral atoms at thermal velocity with small angular divergence is described. It uses a high work function interior surface to evaporate alkali atoms as ions and a low work function neutralizer, biased to collect the ions and evaporated them as neutral atoms. The neutralizer is located opposite an exit aperture so that the beam characteristics are determined by the geometry of the neutralizer and aperture. The orthotropic source is especially well suited for atomic clocks and for efficient loading of short lived radioactive alkali atoms into an optical trap