Combine a magneto-optical trap with a magnetic trap for 7Li atoms

We utilize a magneto-optical trap (MOT) in combination with a decreasing field type Zeeman-slower to generate an ultracold cloud of 7Li-Atoms for future scattering experiments (reactive and non-reactive collisions) with cold molecules produced by means of supersonic expansion out of a rotating nozzle. A special feature of our MOT-apparatus is the implementation of a magnetic trap with high field-gradients for trapping the atoms in the electronic ground state at high density. With this setup we will study reactive collisions, such as Li + HF → LiF + H at collision energies down to ≤1 meV from which we expect to get insight into the quantum mechanical nature of cold reaction dynamics. The required laser-system for the magneto-optical trap and Zeeman-slower is based on a ''master-slave-slave'' scheme. The master laser is a low-power single-mode diode laser which is used for injection-locking of two slave-lasers which in turn are used for injection-locking of two additional slave diode lasers to produce high-power narrowband radiation for the MOT-operation.