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Laser Physics

Enhancing molecular formation in a Rb-MOT

Luís Gustavo Marcassa, Valter Aragão do Nascimento, L. L. Caliri, Anderson R. L. Caires, Daniel Varela Magalhães, Vanderlei Salvador Bagnato

Published Dec 1, 2006• 6 citations
Publisher

Abstract

In this paper, we report observation of an enhancement of the ground state molecule Rb 2 formation in a Rb magneto-optical trap due to a photoassociation laser. Such an enhancement effect is due to flux enhancement of atomic pairs at short internuclear distances. Our experimental observations consist in the measurement of the molecular formation rate constant due to a probe laser as a function of the trap laser intensity. The results are compared with a simple semi-classical model, showing good agreement. We conclude that the production of cold Rb 2 may be enhanced using appropriate laser parameters; this may be useful for future experiments involving production and trapping of ultracold ground state molecules.

DOI
10.1134/s1054660x06120206

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