Hemmerling, BoergeDrayna, Garrett KordaChae, EunmiRavi, AakashDoyle, John2016-08-232014Hemmerling, Boerge, Garrett K Drayna, Eunmi Chae, Aakash Ravi, and John M Doyle. 2014. “Buffer Gas Loaded Magneto-Optical Traps for Yb, Tm, Er and Ho.” New J. Phys. 16 (6) (June 30): 063070. doi:10.1088/1367-2630/16/6/063070.1367-2630http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:27877635Direct loading of lanthanide atoms into magneto-optical traps (MOTs) from a very slow cryogenic buffer gas beam source is achieved, without the need for laser slowing. The beam source has an average forward velocity of 60– − 70ms 1 and a velocity half-width of ∼ − 35 m s 1 , which allows for direct MOT loading of Yb, Tm, Er and Ho. Residual helium background gas originating from the beam results in a maximum trap lifetime of about 80 ms (with Yb). The addition of a single-frequency slowing laser applied to the Yb in the buffer gas beam increases the number of trapped Yb atoms to 1.3 (0.7) 10 × 8 with a loading rate of × − 2.0 (1.0) 10 atoms s 10 1. Decay to metastable states is observed for all trapped species and decay rates are measured. Extension of this approach to the loading of molecules into a MOT is discussed.en-USmagneto-optical trapbuffer gas beam sourcelaser coolingJournal Article2016-08-2310.1088/1367-2630/16/6/063070