We report the observation of translationally ultracold heteronuclear ground-state molecules in a two-species magneto-optical trap containing 39K and 85Rb atoms. The KRb molecules are produced via photoassociation and detected by multiphoton ionization. We had characterized their temperature and measured their formation rate constant. We believe that the two-species trap could be used as a reliable source of ultracold molecules to be captured by electrostatic, magnetic, or optical traps. This possibility will certainly motivate further investigation of quantum collective effects as well as high-resolution spectroscopy of the rovibrational level structure of cold heteronuclear molecular systems.We report the observation of translationally ultracold heteronuclear ground-state molecules in a two-species magneto-optical trap containing 39K and 85Rb atoms. The KRb molecules are produced via photoassociation and detected by multiphoton ionization. We had characterized their temperature and measured their formation rate constant. We believe that the two-species trap could be used as a reliable source of ultracold molecules to be captured by electrostatic, magnetic, or optical traps. This possibility will certainly motivate further investigation of quantum collective effects as well as high-resolution spectroscopy of the rovibrational level structure of cold heteronuclear molecular systems.

Physical Review LettersApr 2, 2004163 citations

Two-photon photoassociation spectroscopy of an ultracold heteronuclear molecule

Sourav Dutta, Jesús Pérez‐Ríos, Daniel S. Elliott +1 more

We report on two-photon photoassociation (PA) spectroscopy of ultracold heteronuclear LiRb molecules. This is used to determine the binding energies of the loosely bound levels of the electronic ground singlet and the lowest triplet states of LiRb. We observe strong two-photon PA lines with power broadened linewidths greater than 20 GHz at relatively low laser intensity of $30\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{W}/\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{2}$ . The implication of this observation on direct atom to molecule conversion using stimulated Raman adiabatic passage is discussed and the prospect for electronic ground-state molecule production is theoretically analyzed.We report on two-photon photoassociation (PA) spectroscopy of ultracold heteronuclear LiRb molecules. This is used to determine the binding energies of the loosely bound levels of the electronic ground singlet and the lowest triplet states of LiRb. We observe strong two-photon PA lines with power broadened linewidths greater than 20 GHz at relatively low laser intensity of $30\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{W}/\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{2}$. The implication of this observation on direct atom to molecule conversion using stimulated Raman adiabatic passage is discussed and the prospect for electronic ground-state molecule production is theoretically analyzed.

arXiv:1701.00589Physical Review AJan 18, 201713 citations

Theory of ultracold heteronuclear polar molecules

John L. Bohn

Bulletin of the American Physical SocietyMar 22, 20110 citations

30\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{W}/\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{2}

. The implication of this observation on direct atom to molecule conversion using stimulated Raman adiabatic passage is discussed and the prospect for electronic ground-state molecule production is theoretically analyzed.