Laser slowing of CaF molecules to near the capture velocity of a molecular MOT. (10th August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hemmerling, Boerge; Chae, Eunmi; Ravi, Aakash; Anderegg, Loic; Drayna, Garrett K; Hutzler, Nicholas R; Collopy, Alejandra L; Ye, Jun; Ketterle, Wolfgang; Doyle, John M
• Is Part Of: Journal of physics. Volume 49:Number 17(2016:Sep. 01)
• Publication Date: 2016-08-10
• Subjects: laser slowing of molecules -- molecular magneto-optical trap -- white-light slowing -- cryogenic buffer-gas beam source; Atoms -- Periodicals; Molecules -- Periodicals; Optics -- Periodicals; Nuclear physics -- Periodicals; 539.6
• DOI: 10.1088/0953-4075/49/17/174001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0953-4075

Abstract

Abstract: Laser slowing of CaF molecules down to the capture velocity of a magneto-optical trap for molecules is achieved. Starting from a two-stage buffer gas beam source, we apply frequency-broadened 'white-light' slowing and observe approximately 6 × 10 4 CaF molecules in a single pulse with velocities 10 ± 4 m s −1 . CaF is a candidate for collisional studies in the mK regime. This work represents a significant step towards magneto-optical trapping of CaF.