Molecules cooled below the Doppler limit
File(s)CaF_SubDoppler.pdf (1.35 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The ability to cool atoms below the Doppler limit -- the minimum temperature
reachable by Doppler cooling -- has been essential to most experiments with
quantum degenerate gases, optical lattices and atomic fountains, among many
other applications. A broad set of new applications await ultracold molecules,
and the extension of laser cooling to molecules has begun. A molecular
magneto-optical trap has been demonstrated, where molecules approached the
Doppler limit. However, the sub-Doppler temperatures required for most
applications have not yet been reached. Here we cool molecules to 50 uK, well
below the Doppler limit, using a three-dimensional optical molasses. These
ultracold molecules could be loaded into optical tweezers to trap arbitrary
arrays for quantum simulation, launched into a molecular fountain for testing
fundamental physics, and used to study ultracold collisions and ultracold
chemistry.
reachable by Doppler cooling -- has been essential to most experiments with
quantum degenerate gases, optical lattices and atomic fountains, among many
other applications. A broad set of new applications await ultracold molecules,
and the extension of laser cooling to molecules has begun. A molecular
magneto-optical trap has been demonstrated, where molecules approached the
Doppler limit. However, the sub-Doppler temperatures required for most
applications have not yet been reached. Here we cool molecules to 50 uK, well
below the Doppler limit, using a three-dimensional optical molasses. These
ultracold molecules could be loaded into optical tweezers to trap arbitrary
arrays for quantum simulation, launched into a molecular fountain for testing
fundamental physics, and used to study ultracold collisions and ultracold
chemistry.
Date Issued
2017-12-01
Date Acceptance
2017-07-21
Citation
Nature Physics, 2017, 13 (12), pp.1173-1176
ISSN
1745-2473
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
Start Page
1173
End Page
1176
Journal / Book Title
Nature Physics
Volume
13
Issue
12
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2017, Rights Managed by Nature Publishing Group
Sponsor
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (E
European Research Council
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Grant Number
EP/M027716/1
RF040529
320789
GR/S71866/01
EP/H031103/1
EP/M027716/1
ST/N000242/1
Subjects
physics.atom-ph
physics.atom-ph
Notes
8 pages, 6 figures
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2017-08-28