A laser-cooled chromium atomic beam under 1 mrad for direct-write atom-lithography

We have developed an apparatus for laser-cooling chromium atomic beams using one-dimensional optical molasses. The divergence of the atomic beam was reduced from 4.5 mrad to 0.87 mrad and the intensity of fluorescence was increased by 1.79 times with a 45 mW laser power. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.