Simple Magneto-Optical and Magnetic Traps for Dysprosium

Dysprosium (Dy) is the most magnetic element on the periodic table, making it excellent for studying dipolar atom-atom interactions. We report on a simple Dy MOT that captures atoms directly from the thermal beam using a single diode-laser system to generate the light. Additionally, the atoms are magnetically confined by the quadrupole magnetic field that also facilitates the MOT. The MOT loading time is $τ_\text{b} = 26~\text{ms}$. Atoms can decay to a dark state that is magnetically trapped. The time constant for loading into this magnetic trap is $τ_\text{d} = 410~\text{ms}$. The total magnetically trapped population is $1.14\times10^{5}$ atoms, with $85\%$ residing in the dark states. The magnetically trapped atoms have a temperature of $28~μ\text{K}$, significantly below the Doppler limit. This population fulfills the requirements for a range of future experiments.