Overview of the complete setup

In Fig. 2.1 a schematic representation of the setup is shown.

Figure 2.1: Experimental setup. The lengths are given in mm.

The metastable Helium is formed in the Helium source, after which the velocity and beam profile of the atoms is altered by the three cooling devices in the setup. First the collimator reduces the transverse velocity. Then the Zeeman slower reduces the longitudinal velocity. Finally the MOC pushes the slowed atoms towards the center line of the setup, so that they pass the hole in the mirror that couples in the slowing laser. The channeltron then detects the metastable Helium atoms. The setup is kept on vacuum by three vacuum pumps. The first is placed under the vacuum chamber between the nozzle and the skimmer, the second is placed under the collimator chamber and the third in the midsection of the Zeeman slower.