Vacuum chamber design and construction for ultracold atom experiments

We report on the design and construction of a vacuum chamber for ultracold atom experiments. The vacuum system is built around a custom 6-way cross donated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Ultrahigh vacuum pressure is achieved to allow for long lifetimes of trapped atomic samples. We will discuss the design considerations of the vacuum system as well as the anti-Helmholtz coil design to achieve a wide range of magnetic field gradients for the magneto-optical trap (MOT). We will also discuss the laser systems, automated computer control via the Labscript suite, and our timeline for producing ultracold atoms.