Characterization of an ultrahigh vacuum system for degenerate quantum gases

Tabletop ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) systems are a necessary laboratory environment for the creation and manipulation of ultracold degenerate quantum gases. At the University of San Diego, a primarily undergraduate institution, we have assembled such a system and are in the process of moving toward initial stages of cooling using a 2D to 3D magneto-optical trap setup. In this poster, we will present details of our vacuum setup, including capacitance, pump preparation and maintenance, leak testing, and bakeout procedures, as well as next steps for our ultracold atom system.