Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Molecular Physics

Efficient photoassociation of ultracold cesium atoms with picosecond pulse laser

Yang Hai, Xue‐Jin Hu, Jing-Lun Li, Shu‐Lin Cong

Published May 29, 2017• 3 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We investigate theoretically the formation of ultracold Cs2 molecules via photoassociation (PA) with three kinds of pulses (the Gaussian pulse, the asymmetric shaped laser pulse SL1 with a large rising time and a small falling time and the asymmetric shaped laser pulse SL2 with a small rising time and a large falling time). For the three kinds of pulses, the final population on vibrational levels from v′ = 120 to 175 of the excited state displays a regular oscillation change with pulse width and interaction strength, and a high PA efficiency can be achieved with optimised parameters. The PA efficiency in the excited state steered by the SL1-pulse (SL2-pulse) train with optimised parameters which is composed of four SL1 (SL2) pulses is 1.74 times as much as that by the single SL1 (SL2) pulse due to the population accumulation effect. Moreover, a dump laser is employed to transfer the excited molecules from the excited state to the vibrational level v″ = 12 of the ground state to obtain stable molecules.

DOI
10.1080/00268976.2017.1332786

Related papers

Photoassociation dynamics controlled by a spectral π-jump laser pulse

Zeyu Zhao, Wei Zhang, Yin Hui Huang +1 more

The formation of ultracold Cs 2 molecules via photoassociation (PA) with a spectral π-jump laser pulse is theoretically investigated by solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation using the mapped Fourier grid method. Numerical calculations show that the population distributions of associated molecules mainly result from the off-resonant excitation of the π-jump laser pulse. Compared with the transform-limited pulse, an efficient population accumulation in the PA process is achieved with the π-jump pulse. An oscillation pattern appears in the population on the vibrational levels of the state owing to the action of the post-half-pulse in the π-jump pulse. The PA efficiency is related to the Rabi angle of the laser pulse. A π-jump pulse can be used to enhance more effectively the PA efficiency than a transform-limited pulse with the same Rabi angle.

Laser Physics•Jan 23, 2013•4 citations

FORMATION OF ULTRACOLD CESIUM MOLECULES IN THE GROUND ELECTRONIC STATE

Xue‐Jin Hu, Wei Zhang, Yin Hui Huang +2 more

We investigate theoretically the preparation of ultracold photoassociated Cs 2 molecules in the lowest vibrational level of the ground electronic state via the stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) by solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation using the mapped Fourier grid method. A negative chirped laser pulse is used to produce the unstable photoassociated molecules in the excited electronic state. A dump pulse is utilized to transfer a partial population of the unstable photoassociated molecules to the vibrational v″ = 18 level of the ground electronic state. This part of population is then transferred to the v″ = 0 level of the ground electronic state by the pump and Stokes laser pulses via an intermediate state which is taken to be the v′ = 7 level of the excited electronic state, forming the stable photoassociated molecules. The population transfer efficiency from v″ = 18 to v″ = 0 in the ground electronic state reaches 96.2% via the STIRAP.

Journal of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry•Dec 1, 2012•7 citations

Making ultracold molecules in a two-color pump-dump photoassociation scheme using chirped pulses

Christiane P. Koch, Eliane Luc-Koenig, Françoise Masnou-Seeuws

This theoretical paper investigates the formation of ground state molecules from ultracold cesium atoms in a two-color scheme. Following previous work on photoassociation with chirped picosecond pulses [Luc-Koenig et al., Phys. Rev. A, 70, 033414 (2004)], we investigate stabilization by a second (dump) pulse. By appropriately choosing the dump pulse parameters and time delay with respect to the photoassociation pulse, we show that a large number of deeply bound molecules are created in the ground triplet state. We discuss (i) broad-bandwidth dump pulses which maximize the probability to form molecules while creating a broad vibrational distribution as well as (ii) narrow-bandwidth pulses populating a single vibrational ground state level, bound by $113\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. The use of chirped pulses makes the two-color scheme robust, simple, and efficient.

arXiv:physics/0508090•Physical Review A•Mar 7, 2006•97 citations

Creation of ultracold Cs2molecules via two-step photoassociation with Gaussian and chirped pulses

Yin Hui Huang, Ting Xie, Gao‐Ren Wang +2 more

An efficient two-step photoassociation (PA) scheme is used to produce ultracold Cs 2 molecules in the excited electronic state. By using the compression effect of the wavepacket in the ground electronic state induced by the Gaussian pulse L 1 , the PA efficiency P L of forming ultracold molecules in the excited electronic state with binding energies greater than 3.0 cm −1 steered by the pulse L 2 can be efficiently enhanced. The influences of temporal width, electric field amplitude and chirp rate on the PA dynamics are analyzed. Moreover, the total PA efficiency is also estimated when the thermal distribution is taken into account.

Laser Physics•Mar 18, 2014•8 citations

Photoassociation of cold atoms with chirped laser pulses: Time-dependent calculations and analysis of the adiabatic transfer within a two-state model

Eliane Luc-Koenig, Ronnie Kosloff, Françoise Masnou-Seeuws +1 more

This theoretical paper presents numerical calculations for the photoassociation of ultracold cesium atoms with a chirped laser pulse and a detailed analysis of the results. In contrast with earlier work, the initial state is represented by a stationary continuum wave function. In the chosen example, it is shown that an important population transfer is achieved to $\ensuremath{\approx}15$ vibrational levels in the vicinity of the $v=98$ bound level in the external well of the ${0}_{g}^{\ensuremath{-}}(6s+6{p}_{3∕2})$ potential. Such levels lie in the energy range swept by the instantaneous frequency of the pulse, thus defining a ``photoassociation window.'' Levels outside this window may be significantly excited during the pulse, but no population remains there after the pulse. Finally, the population transfer to the last vibrational levels of the ground $a\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}^{3}\ensuremath{\sum}_{u}^{+}(6\mathrm{s}+6\mathrm{s})$ state is significant, making stable molecules. The results are interpreted in the framework of a two-state model as an adiabatic inversion mechanism, efficient only within the photoassociation window. The large value found for the photoassociation rate suggests promising applications. The present chirp has been designed in view of creating in the excited state a vibrational wave packet that is focusing at the barrier of the double-well potential.

arXiv:physics/0404028•Physical Review A•Sep 27, 2004•107 citations

Enhancing photoassociation efficiency by using a picosecond laser pulse with cubic-phase modulation

Wei Zhang, Ting Xie, Yin Hui Huang +1 more

The photoassociation (PA) dynamics of ultracold cesium atoms steered by the picosecond laser pulse with cubic-phase modulation has been investigated theoretically by solving numerically the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation using the mapped Fourier grid method. The temporal duration of the pulse is prolonged, and the pulse area is enlarged by modulating the cubic phase. The PA efficiency is related to the pulse area. When the pulse area is larger than a certain value, the cubic-phase pulses noticeably enhance the PA efficiency, although they have lower energies.

Physical Review A•Dec 27, 2011•12 citations
We investigate theoretically the formation of ultracold Cs2 molecules via photoassociation (PA) with three kinds of pulses (the Gaussian pulse, the asymmetric shaped laser pulse SL1 with a large rising time and a small falling time and the asymmetric shaped laser pulse SL2 with a small rising time and a large falling time). For the three kinds of pulses, the final population on vibrational levels from v′ = 120 to 175 of the excited state displays a regular oscillation change with pulse width and interaction strength, and a high PA efficiency can be achieved with optimised parameters. The PA efficiency in the excited state steered by the SL1-pulse (SL2-pulse) train with optimised parameters which is composed of four SL1 (SL2) pulses is 1.74 times as much as that by the single SL1 (SL2) pulse due to the population accumulation effect. Moreover, a dump laser is employed to transfer the excited molecules from the excited state to the vibrational level v″ = 12 of the ground state to obtain stable molecules.
The formation of ultracold Cs 2 molecules via photoassociation (PA) with a spectral π-jump laser pulse is theoretically investigated by solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation using the mapped Fourier grid method. Numerical calculations show that the population distributions of associated molecules mainly result from the off-resonant excitation of the π-jump laser pulse. Compared with the transform-limited pulse, an efficient population accumulation in the PA process is achieved with the π-jump pulse. An oscillation pattern appears in the population on the vibrational levels of the state owing to the action of the post-half-pulse in the π-jump pulse. The PA efficiency is related to the Rabi angle of the laser pulse. A π-jump pulse can be used to enhance more effectively the PA efficiency than a transform-limited pulse with the same Rabi angle.
We investigate theoretically the preparation of ultracold photoassociated Cs 2 molecules in the lowest vibrational level of the ground electronic state via the stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) by solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation using the mapped Fourier grid method. A negative chirped laser pulse is used to produce the unstable photoassociated molecules in the excited electronic state. A dump pulse is utilized to transfer a partial population of the unstable photoassociated molecules to the vibrational v″ = 18 level of the ground electronic state. This part of population is then transferred to the v″ = 0 level of the ground electronic state by the pump and Stokes laser pulses via an intermediate state which is taken to be the v′ = 7 level of the excited electronic state, forming the stable photoassociated molecules. The population transfer efficiency from v″ = 18 to v″ = 0 in the ground electronic state reaches 96.2% via the STIRAP.
This theoretical paper investigates the formation of ground state molecules from ultracold cesium atoms in a two-color scheme. Following previous work on photoassociation with chirped picosecond pulses [Luc-Koenig et al., Phys. Rev. A, 70, 033414 (2004)], we investigate stabilization by a second (dump) pulse. By appropriately choosing the dump pulse parameters and time delay with respect to the photoassociation pulse, we show that a large number of deeply bound molecules are created in the ground triplet state. We discuss (i) broad-bandwidth dump pulses which maximize the probability to form molecules while creating a broad vibrational distribution as well as (ii) narrow-bandwidth pulses populating a single vibrational ground state level, bound by $113\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. The use of chirped pulses makes the two-color scheme robust, simple, and efficient.
An efficient two-step photoassociation (PA) scheme is used to produce ultracold Cs 2 molecules in the excited electronic state. By using the compression effect of the wavepacket in the ground electronic state induced by the Gaussian pulse L 1 , the PA efficiency P L of forming ultracold molecules in the excited electronic state with binding energies greater than 3.0 cm −1 steered by the pulse L 2 can be efficiently enhanced. The influences of temporal width, electric field amplitude and chirp rate on the PA dynamics are analyzed. Moreover, the total PA efficiency is also estimated when the thermal distribution is taken into account.
This theoretical paper presents numerical calculations for the photoassociation of ultracold cesium atoms with a chirped laser pulse and a detailed analysis of the results. In contrast with earlier work, the initial state is represented by a stationary continuum wave function. In the chosen example, it is shown that an important population transfer is achieved to $\ensuremath{\approx}15$ vibrational levels in the vicinity of the v=98v=98v=98 bound level in the external well of the ${0}_{g}^{\ensuremath{-}}(6s+6{p}_{3∕2})$ potential. Such levels lie in the energy range swept by the instantaneous frequency of the pulse, thus defining a ``photoassociation window.'' Levels outside this window may be significantly excited during the pulse, but no population remains there after the pulse. Finally, the population transfer to the last vibrational levels of the ground $a\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}^{3}\ensuremath{\sum}_{u}^{+}(6\mathrm{s}+6\mathrm{s})$ state is significant, making stable molecules. The results are interpreted in the framework of a two-state model as an adiabatic inversion mechanism, efficient only within the photoassociation window. The large value found for the photoassociation rate suggests promising applications. The present chirp has been designed in view of creating in the excited state a vibrational wave packet that is focusing at the barrier of the double-well potential.
The photoassociation (PA) dynamics of ultracold cesium atoms steered by the picosecond laser pulse with cubic-phase modulation has been investigated theoretically by solving numerically the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation using the mapped Fourier grid method. The temporal duration of the pulse is prolonged, and the pulse area is enlarged by modulating the cubic phase. The PA efficiency is related to the pulse area. When the pulse area is larger than a certain value, the cubic-phase pulses noticeably enhance the PA efficiency, although they have lower energies.