Magneto-optical trapping of Yb atoms using an intercombination transition

We report the magneto-optical trapping of ytterbium atoms using the 6s^{2 1}S₀-6s6p ³P₁ intercombination transition. The magneto-optical trap is continuously loaded from an atomic beam decelerated by a Zeeman-tuned atomic-beam slower operated at the 6s^{2 1}S₀-6s6p ¹P₁ transition. Among seven stable isotopes of ytterbium, six isotopes of ¹⁷⁰Yb, ¹⁷¹Yb, ¹⁷²Yb, ¹⁷³Yb, ¹⁷⁴Yb, and ¹⁷⁶Yb are successfully trapped. The number and density of the trapped atoms are about 10⁸ and 10¹¹ cm^-3, respectively. The temperature of atoms is estimated to be about 20 μK from the time-of-flight measurement. The decay time of the trapped atoms after stopping the loading of atoms is about 3 s.