Large atom number Bose-Einstein condensate machines

We describe experimental setups for producing large Bose-Einstein condensates of $Na23$ and $Rb87$⁠. In both, a high-flux thermal atomic beam is decelerated by a Zeeman slower and is then captured and cooled in a magneto-optical trap. The atoms are then transferred into a cloverleaf-style Ioffe-Pritchard magnetic trap and cooled to quantum degeneracy with radio-frequency-induced forced evaporation. Typical condensates contain $20×106$ atoms. We discuss the similarities and differences between the techniques used for producing large $Rb87$ and $Na23$ condensates in the context of nearly identical setups.