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Physical Review A

Atomic density and light intensity dependences of the Rb2 molecule formation rate constant in a magneto-optical trap

Anderson R. L. Caires, Valter Aragão do Nascimento, D. C. J. Rezende, Vanderlei Salvador Bagnato, Luís Gustavo Marcassa

Published Apr 8, 2005• 25 citations
Publisher

Abstract

In this paper, we report the measurement of molecular formation rate constant of ${\mathrm{Rb}}_{2}$ directly in a magneto-optical trap (MOT). The ground state molecules are detected by two-photon ionization, resonantly enhanced through the intermediate ${a}^{3}{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}_{u}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{2}^{3}{\ensuremath{\Pi}}_{g}$ molecular band. We have measured the rate constant as a function of atomic density to conclude that the molecules ${\mathrm{Rb}}_{2}$ are formed in the MOT by a photoassociation process caused by the trapping laser beams. We also measured the rate constant as a function of the trapping laser intensity. The results here presented are of importance to future experiments involving trapping of cold molecules.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.71.043403

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We report on the observation of ultracold ground electric-state cesium molecules produced directly in a magneto—optical trap with a good signal-to-noise ratio. These molecules arise from the photoassociation of magneto—optical trap lasers and they are detected by resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization technology. The production rate of ultracold cesium molecules is up to 4×10 4 s −1 . We measure the characteristic time of the ground electric-state cesium molecules generated in the experiment and investigate the Cs 2 + molecular ion intensity as a function of the trapping laser intensity and the ionization pulse laser energy. We conclude that the production of cold cesium molecules may be enhanced by using appropriate experimental parameters, which is useful for future experiments involving the production and trapping of ultracold ground electric-state molecules.
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