A high flux source of cold strontium atoms

We describe an experimental apparatus capable of achieving a high loading rate of strontium atoms in a magneto-optical trap operating in a high vacuum environment. A key innovation of this setup is a two dimensional magneto-optical trap deflector located after a Zeeman slower. We find a loading rate of 6 × 109 s−1 whereas the lifetime of the magnetically trapped atoms in the 3P2 state is 54 s.Graphical abstract