Abstract

We demonstrate laser slowing of a hot thulium atomic beam using the nearly closed cycling transition $4{\mathit{f}}^{13}6{\mathit{s}}^2\left({}^2\mathit{F}^o\right)(J=7∕2)\leftrightarrow 4{\mathit{f}}^{12}\left({}^3\mathit{H}_5\right)5{\mathit{d}}_{3∕2}6{\mathit{s}}^2(J=9∕2)$ at 410.6 nm. Atoms are decelerated to velocities around 25 m/s by a 40 cm Zeeman slower. The flux of slowed atoms is evaluated as ${10}^7{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}{\mathrm{cm}}^{-2}$. The experiment explicitly indicates the possibility of trapping Tm atoms in a magneto-optical trap.

© 2009 Optical Society of America

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