A double magneto-optical trap of ⁷Li loaded by a σ^--type Zeeman slower

We report the construction and characterization of a double magneto-optical trap (MOT) system for ⁷Li loaded by a Zeeman slower. The Zeeman slower uses an increasing magnetic field with left-circularly polarized laser light to produce an atomic beam with velocity less than 100 m/s. The slow atoms are captured by the first MOT at a rate of 1.7 × 10⁹ atoms/s and they are transferred to the second MOT through a small hole in a configuration of a low-velocity intense source. The loading rate of the second MOT is 5 × 10⁶ atoms/s. The second MOT traps 5 × 10⁷ atoms with a trap lifetime of 10 s.