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arXiv:0812.1002 · Faraday Discussions

Formation of ultracold dipolar molecules in the lowest vibrational levels by photoassociation

Johannes Deiglmayr, M. Repp, A. Grochola, K. Mörtlbauer, C. Glück, Olivier Dulieu, J. Lange, Roland Wester, Matthias Weidemüller

Published Jan 1, 2009• 20 citations
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Abstract

We recently reported the formation of ultracold LiCs molecules in the rovibrational ground state X1sigma+, v" = 0,J" = 0 (J. Deiglmayr et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 2008, 101, 133004). Here we discuss details of the experimental setup and present a thorough analysis of the photoassociation step including the photoassociation line shape. We predict the distribution of produced ground state molecules using accurate potential energy curves combined with an ab initio dipole transition moment and compare this prediction with experimental ionization spectra. Additionally we improve the value of the dissociation energy for the X1sigma+ state by high resolution spectroscopy of the vibrational ground state.

DOI
10.1039/b818391k

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We recently reported the formation of ultracold LiCs molecules in the rovibrational ground state X1sigma+, v" = 0,J" = 0 (J. Deiglmayr et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 2008, 101, 133004). Here we discuss details of the experimental setup and present a thorough analysis of the photoassociation step including the photoassociation line shape. We predict the distribution of produced ground state molecules using accurate potential energy curves combined with an ab initio dipole transition moment and compare this prediction with experimental ionization spectra. Additionally we improve the value of the dissociation energy for the X1sigma+ state by high resolution spectroscopy of the vibrational ground state.
In this thesis properties of ultracold alkali dimers are studied both theoretically and experimentally. In the first, theoretical, part, the prospects for the formation of ultracold LiCs dimers in deeply bound vibrational levels using photoassociation (PA) are investigated. Furthermore a previous systematic investigation of the structure of all alkali dimers is extended by the ab initio calculation of static dipole polarizabilities. An extensive comparison with other published results supports the reliability of the chosen method. Based on these results an experimental scheme for the creation of an sample of oriented ultracold dipolar molecules is developed. In the second, experimental part the formation of LiCs ground state molecules by PA is investigated. PA spectroscopy is used to improve the accuracy of the potential energy curve for the B1P and the value of the dissociation energy of the X1S+ state significantly. The rovibrational distribution of ground state molecules is probed in a combination of resonance-enhanced multi-photon ionization and depletion spectroscopy. A simple scheme is found to form ultracold polar LiCs molecules in the absolute ground state X1S+,v''=0,J''=0. In a quasi-electrostatic trap created by a CO2 laser, LiCs molecules are formed and stored. A lifetime of 24(3)s, limited by collisions with background gas, is observed and rate coefficients for inelastic collisions between LiCs in high vibrational states and Cs atoms are determined. The long storage time facilitates the observation of radiative decay of polar molecules towards lower vibrational levels.
Ultracold LiCs molecules in the absolute ground state $X^{1}\ensuremath{\Sigma}^{+}$, ${v}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}=0$, ${J}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}=0$ are formed via a single photoassociation step starting from laser-cooled atoms. The selective production of ${v}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}=0$, ${J}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}=2$ molecules with a 50-fold higher rate is also demonstrated. The rotational and vibrational state of the ground state molecules is determined in a setup combining depletion spectroscopy with resonant-enhanced multiphoton ionization time-of-flight spectroscopy. Using the determined production rate of up to $5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{3}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{\text{molecules}}/\mathrm{s}$, we describe a simple scheme which can provide large samples of externally and internally cold dipolar molecules.
The formation of ultracold metastable RbCs molecules is observed in a double species magneto-optical trap through photoassociation below the 85 Rb(5S 1/2 ) + 133 Cs(6P 3/2 ) dissociation limit followed by spontaneous emission. The molecules are detected by resonance enhanced two-photon ionization. Using accurate quantum chemistry calculations of the potential energy curves and transition dipole moment, we interpret the observed photoassociation process as occurring at short internuclear distance, in contrast with most previous cold atom photoassociation studies. The vibrational levels excited by photoassociation belong to the 5th 0 + or the 4th 0 − electronic states correlated to the Rb(5P 1/2, 3/2 ) + Cs(6S 1/2 ) dissociation limit. The computed vibrational distribution of the produced molecules shows that they are stabilized in deeply bound vibrational states of the lowest triplet state. We also predict that a noticeable fraction of molecules is produced in the lowest level of the electronic ground state.
We present an accurate potential energy curve of the B (1)Pi state in the LiCs molecule for which vibrational levels between v(') = 0 and v(') = 35 (bound by 11.4 GHz) were measured by photoassociation spectroscopy in an ultracold ensemble of (7)Li and (133)Cs atoms. By the combination of conventional spectroscopic data of the B-X system and the new photoassociation measurements a very precise value of the dissociation energy of the ground state X (1)Sigma(+) of LiCs was determined to be D(0) = 5783.495(5) cm(-1).
We present the formation of ultracold (85)Rb(133)Cs molecules in the (5)0(+) electronic state by photoassociation and their detection via resonance-enhanced two-photon ionization. Up to v = 47 vibrational levels including the lowest v = 0 vibrational and lowest J = 0 levels are identified with rotationally resolved high resolution photoassociation spectra. Precise Dunham coefficients are determined for the (5)0(+) state with high accuracy, then the Rydberg-Klein-Rees potential energy curve is derived. The electric dipole moments with respect to the vibrational numbers of the (5)0(+) electronic state of (85)Rb(133)Cs molecule are also measured in the range between 1.9 and 4.8 D. These comprehensive studies on previously unobserved rovibrational levels of the (5)0(+) state are helpful to understand the molecular structure and discover suitable transition pathways for transferring ultracold atoms to deeply bound rovibrational levels of the electronic ground state.