  We report the design and construction of a simple, easy to machine
high-temperature oven for generating an atomic beam in laser cooling
experiments. This design eliminates the problem of thermal isolation of the
oven region from the rest of the vacuum system without using a glass or ceramic
thermal break. This design simplifies the construction and operation of
high-temperature ovens for elements having low vapor pressure. We demonstrate
the functionality of such a source for Strontium (Sr) atoms. We generate a high
flux of Sr atoms for use in laser cooling and trapping experiments. The
optimization of the design of the metal thermal break is done using a finite
element analysis.
