42 research outputs found
Formation of ultracold LiCs molecules
We present the first observation of ultracold LiCs molecules. The molecules
are formed in a two-species magneto-optical trap and detected by two-photon
ionization and time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The production rate
coefficient is found to be in the range 10^{-18}\unit{cm^3s^{-1}} to
10^{-16}\unit{cm^3s^{-1}}, at least an order of magnitude smaller than for
other heteronuclear diatomic molecules directly formed in a magneto-optical
trap.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figure
Atom-molecule collisions in an optically trapped gas
Cold inelastic collisions between confined cesium (Cs) atoms and Cs
molecules are investigated inside a CO laser dipole trap. Inelastic
atom-molecule collisions can be observed and measured with a rate coefficient
of cm s, mainly independent of the
molecular ro-vibrational state populated. Lifetimes of purely atomic and
molecular samples are essentially limited by rest gas collisions. The pure
molecular trap lifetime ranges 0,3-1 s, four times smaller than the atomic one,
as is also observed in a pure magnetic trap. We give an estimation of the
inelastic molecule-molecule collision rate to be cm
s
Geometric quantum gate for trapped ions based on optical dipole forces induced by Gaussian laser beams
We present an implementation of quantum logic gates via internal state
dependent displacements of ions in a linear Paul trap caused by optical dipole
forces. Based on a general quantum analysis of the system dynamics we consider
specific implementations with alkaline earth ions. For experimentally realistic
parameters gate infidelities as low as can be obtained.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure
Population redistribution in optically trapped polar molecules
We investigate the rovibrational population redistribution of polar molecules
in the electronic ground state induced by spontaneous emission and blackbody
radiation. As a model system we use optically trapped LiCs molecules formed by
photoassociation in an ultracold two-species gas. The population dynamics of
vibrational and rotational states is modeled using an ab-initio electric dipole
moment function and experimental potential energy curves. Comparison with the
evolution of the v"=3 electronic ground state yields good qualitative
agreement. The analysis provides important input to assess applications of
ultracold LiCs molecules in quantum simulation and ultracold chemistry.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, EPJD Topical issue on Cold Quantum Matter -
Achievements and Prospect
Non-Destructive Identification of Cold and Extremely Localized Single Molecular Ions
A simple and non-destructive method for identification of a single molecular
ion sympathetically cooled by a single laser cooled atomic ion in a linear Paul
trap is demonstrated. The technique is based on a precise determination of the
molecular ion mass through a measurement of the eigenfrequency of a common
motional mode of the two ions. The demonstrated mass resolution is sufficiently
high that a particular molecular ion species can be distinguished from other
equally charged atomic or molecular ions having the same total number of
nucleons
Spectroscopy of the a^3\Sigma_u^+ state and the coupling to the X^1\Sigma_g^+ state of K_2
We report on high resolution Fourier-transform spectroscopy of fluorescence
to the a^3\Sigma_u^+ state excited by two-photon or two-step excitation from
the X^1\Sigma_g^+ state to the 2^3\Pi_g state in the molecule K_2. These
spectroscopic data are combined with recent results of Feshbach resonances and
two-color photoassociation spectra for deriving the potential curves of
X^1\Sigma_g^+ and a^3\Sigma_u^+ up to the asymptote. The precise relative
position of the triplet levels with respect of the singlet levels was achieved
by including the excitation energies from the X^1\Sigma_g^+ state to the
2^3\Pi_g state and down to the a^3\Sigma_u^+ state in the simultaneous fit of
both potentials. The derived precise potential curves allow for reliable
modeling of cold collisions of pairs of potassium atoms in their ^2S ground
state
Giant enhancement of photodissociation of polar dimers in electric fields
We explore the photodissociation of polar dimers in static electric fields in
the cold regime using the example of the LiCs molecule. A giant enhancement of
the differential cross section is found for laboratory electric field
strengths, and analyzed with varying rovibrational bound states, continuum
energies as well as field strengths.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure
A Single Laser System for Ground-State Cooling of 25-Mg+
We present a single solid-state laser system to cool, coherently manipulate
and detect Mg ions. Coherent manipulation is accomplished by
coupling two hyperfine ground state levels using a pair of far-detuned Raman
laser beams. Resonant light for Doppler cooling and detection is derived from
the same laser source by means of an electro-optic modulator, generating a
sideband which is resonant with the atomic transition. We demonstrate
ground-state cooling of one of the vibrational modes of the ion in the trap
using resolved-sideband cooling. The cooling performance is studied and
discussed by observing the temporal evolution of Raman-stimulated sideband
transitions. The setup is a major simplification over existing state-of-the-art
systems, typically involving up to three separate laser sources
Dark resonances for ground state transfer of molecular quantum gases
One possible way to produce ultracold, high-phase-space-density quantum gases
of molecules in the rovibronic ground state is given by molecule association
from quantum-degenerate atomic gases on a Feshbach resonance and subsequent
coherent optical multi-photon transfer into the rovibronic ground state. In
ultracold samples of Cs_2 molecules, we observe two-photon dark resonances that
connect the intermediate rovibrational level |v=73,J=2> with the rovibrational
ground state |v=0,J=0> of the singlet ground state potential.
For precise dark resonance spectroscopy we exploit the fact that it is possible
to efficiently populate the level |v=73,J=2> by two-photon transfer from the
dissociation threshold with the stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP)
technique. We find that at least one of the two-photon resonances is
sufficiently strong to allow future implementation of coherent STIRAP transfer
of a molecular quantum gas to the rovibrational ground state |v=0,J=0>.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure