Aspects of the present disclosure describe techniques for using a parabolic Cassegrain-type reflector for ablation. For example, a system for ablation loading of a trap is described that includes a reflector having a hole aligned with a loading aperture of the trap, and an atomic source positioned at a focal point of the reflector, where one or more laser beams are reflected from a reflective front side of the reflector and focused on a surface of the atomic source to produce an atomic plume, and the atomic plume once produced passing through the hole in the reflector and through a loading aperture of the trap for loading the trap. A method for ablation loading of a trap within a chamber in a trapped ion system is also described.