Improved Radio-Frequency Magneto-Optical Trap of SrF Molecules.

We report the production of ultracold, trapped strontium monofluoride (SrF) molecules with number density and phase-space density significantly higher than previously achieved. These improvements are enabled by three distinct changes to our recently-demonstrated scheme for radio-frequency magneto-optical trapping of SrF: modification of the slowing laser beam geometry, addition of an optical pumping laser, and incorporation of a compression stage to the magneto-optical trap. With these improvements, we observe a trapped sample of SrF molecules at density 2.

A heated vapor cell unit for dichroic atomic vapor laser lock in atomic rubidium.

The design and performance of a compact heated vapor cell unit for realizing a dichroic atomic vapor laser lock (DAVLL) for the D(2) transitions in atomic rubidium is described. A 5 cm long vapor cell is placed in a double-solenoid arrangement to produce the required magnetic field; the heat from the solenoid is used to increase the vapor pressure and correspondingly the DAVLL signal. We have characterized experimentally the dependence of important features of the DAVLL signal on magnetic field and cell temperature.