Evolution of the mammalian masticatory apparatus.

Abstract

We employ laser cooling to intensify and cool an atomic beam of metastable Ne(3s) atoms. Using several collimators, a slower and a compressor we achieve a /sup 20/Ne* flux of 6 * 10/sup 10/ atoms/s in an 0.7 mm diameter beam traveling at 100 m/s, and having longitudinal and transverse temperatures of 25 mK and 300 mu K, respectively. This constitutes the highest flux in a concentrated beam achieved to date with metastable rare gas atoms. We characterize the action of the various cooling stages in terms of their influence on the flux, diameter and divergence of the atomic beam. The brightness and brilliance achieved are 2.1 * 10/sup 21/ s/sup -1/ m/sup -2/ sr/sup -1/ and 5.0 * 10/sup 22/ s/sup -1/ m/sup -2/ sr/sup -1/, respectively, comparable to the highest values reported for alkali-metal beams. Bright beams of the /sup 21/Ne and /sup 22/Ne isotopes have also been created