1D Magneto-Optical Trap of Polyatomic Molecules
Louis Baum, Nathaniel B. Vilas, Christian Hallas, Benjamin L. Augenbraun, Shivam Raval, Debayan Mitra, John M. Doyle
Abstract
We demonstrate a 1D magneto-optical trap of the polar free radical calcium monohydroxide (CaOH). A quasiclosed cycling transition is established to scatter ∼10^{3} photons per molecule, predominantly limited by interaction time. This enables radiative laser cooling of CaOH while compressing the molecular beam, leading to a significant increase in on axis beam brightness and reduction in temperature from 8.4 to 1.4 mK.
Topics & Concepts
Magneto-optical trapAtomic physicsPolyatomic ionLaserLaser coolingMoleculeTrap (plumbing)PhotonBeam (structure)MagnetoPhysicsBrightnessMolecular beamMaterials scienceRadiative transferOpticsIgnition systemQuantum mechanicsThermodynamicsMeteorologyCold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein CondensatesQuantum Information and CryptographyStrong Light-Matter Interactions