A new scheme has been developed that produces a slow atomic beam of high brightness with a narrow velocity distribution. The technique can provide long measurement times and high counting rates for future precision experiments. In our initial work, densities of ${10}^8$ Na atoms/${\mathrm{cm}}^3$ at a velocity of 270 cm/sec and at a temperature of ∼200 μK were obtained.

• Received 27 December 1989

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.64.1658