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arXiv:2204.12373 · Physical Review A

Quantum control of molecules for fundamental physics

Debayan Mitra, Kon H. Leung, Tanya Zelevinsky

Published Apr 18, 2022• 49 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Developments in cooling, trapping, and coherent manipulation of molecules allow for precise control of their quantum states. Quantum state manipulation of molecules can enable high-precision measurements, including tests of fundamental symmetries and searches for new physics beyond the Standard Model. This Perspective reviews recent developments in this field and discusses current and future research directions.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.105.040101

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Molecules, with their rich spectrum of internal states as well as strong and tunable dipolar interactions, are promising candidates for a broad range of experiments including quantum information, quantum chemistry, precision measurement and probing physics beyond the Standard Model, and quantum simulation of interacting many-body systems. At the same time, the complexity that made them attractive also poses a significant challenge to achieve a high level of quantum control that is required in many of their potential applications. Multiple approaches are being pursued for full quantum control of molecules including association of atomic gases and direct cooling of molecules, yet it remains challenging to control molecules at single particle level due to the difficulty in tuning the atom-atom interaction and laser cooling of molecules. In this thesis, we achieved full control on a single weakly bound ground state molecule created by coherent optical association from single atoms. We first discuss the trapping and imaging of the atoms in the optical tweezer and the cooling into a single quantum state in order to achieve the quantum control of atoms. Combining this control with the resolution and flexibility of tweezers. we developed a versatile platform to study interactions between single atoms and properties of single molecules, using precise optical spectroscopy on pairs of atoms in the tweezer. Based on these studies, we proposed a promising pathway for coherent all-optical creation of molecules and experimentally demonstrated full control on the molecule including all degrees of freedom.