Laser cooling of rotation and vibration by optical pumping

Year: 2013

Authors: Manai I., Horchani R., Hamamda M., Fioretti A., Allegrini M., Lignier H., Pillet P., Comparat D.

Autors Affiliation: Laboratoire Aimé Cotton, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud 11, ENS Cachan, Bât 505, Campus d’Orsay, 91405, Orsay, France; Istituto Nazionale di Ottica, INO-CNR, U.O.S. Pisa “Adriano Gozzini” Via Moruzzi 1, Pisa, 56124, Italy; Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Pisa and INO-CNR Sezione di Pisa, Largo Pontecorvo 3, Pisa, 56127, Italy

Abstract: We have recently demonstrated that optical pumping methods combined with photo-association of ultra-cold atoms can produce ultra-cold and dense samples of molecules in their absolute rovibronic ground state. More generally, both the external and internal degrees of freedom can be cooled by addressing selected rovibrational levels on demand. Here, we recall the basic concepts and main steps of our experiments, including the excitation schemes and detection techniques we use to achieve the rovibrational cooling of Cs-2 molecules. In addition, we present the determination of formation pathways and a theoretical analysis explaining the experimental observations. These simulations improve the spectroscopic knowledge required to transfer molecules to any desired rovibrational level.

Journal/Review: MOLECULAR PHYSICS

Volume: 111 (12-13)      Pages from: 1844  to: 1854

More Information: Laboratoire Aime Cotton is a member of Institut Francilien de Recherche sur les Atomes Froids (IFRAF) and of the LABEX PALM initiative. The exchange project between the University of Pisa and the University of Paris-Sud is acknowledged. A. F. and I. M. have been supported by the Triangle de la Physique under contracts No. 2007-n.74T and No. 2009-035T \’GULFSTREAM\’ and No. 2010-097T-COCO2. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013 under grant agreement n. 251391 COLDBEAMS and from the European Research Council under the grant agreement n. 277762 COLDNANO. D. C. is the Coordinator or Principal Investigator of these projects. We thank O. Dulieu and N. Bouloufa-Maafa for fruitful discussions.
KeyWords: ultra-cold molecules; vibrational and rotational cooling; photo-association; molecular spectroscopy; optical pumping
DOI: 10.1080/00268976.2013.813980

Citations: 8
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