Magneto-optical Trap for Polar Molecules
Abstract
We propose a method for laser cooling and trapping a substantial class of polar molecules and, in particular, titanium (II) oxide (TiO). This method uses pulsed electric fields to nonadiabatically remix the ground-state magnetic sublevels of the molecule, allowing one to build a magneto-optical trap based on a quasicycling J'=J''-1 transition. Monte Carlo simulations of this electrostatically remixed magneto-optical trap demonstrate the feasibility of cooling TiO to a temperature of 10μK and trapping it with a radiation-pumping-limited lifetime on the order of 80 ms.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- December 2008
- DOI:
- arXiv:
- arXiv:0808.2171
- Bibcode:
- 2008PhRvL.101x3002S
- Keywords:
-
- 37.10.Pq;
- 37.10.Mn;
- 37.10.Vz;
- Trapping of molecules;
- Slowing and cooling of molecules;
- Mechanical effects of light on atoms molecules and ions;
- Physics - Atomic Physics;
- Physics - Chemical Physics;
- Physics - Optics
- E-Print:
- 4 pages, 4 figures, 1 table v2: updated to final published text and figures