Dark-spot atomic beam slowing to load magneto-optical traps

Summary form only given. Here, we present an alternative to conventional beam slowing and off-axis magneto optical trap (MOT) loading. A dark spot placed in the center of the slowing beam makes a shadow on the position of the trap, allowing a large flux of slow atoms to be captured into the trap, without being disturbed. We have characterized this process using different dark spot sizes and different slower laser frequencies and intensities.