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Production and Trapping of Ultracold Potassium Molecules in the Electronic Ground State

J. R. Ensher

APSJun 1, 20000 citations

Production of ultracold heteronuclear potassium rubidium molecules

Dajun Wang

Dec 1, 20070 citations

Dual potassium-cesium MOT for production of ultracold molecules

Marin Pichler, David S. Hall, Michael Garman +1 more

APSMar 1, 20100 citations

Observation of Ultracold Ground-State Potassium Molecules

Anguel Nikolov, Edward E. Eyler, X. T. Wang +4 more

Ultracold potassium molecules are produced in the $X^{1}\ensuremath{\Sigma}_{g}^{+}$ electronic ground state by photoassociation in a magneto-optical trap. They are detected sensitively and selectively by use of two-color resonant ionization, followed by time-of-flight mass spectroscopy. We observe deeply bound molecules with $\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\cong}36$, at a temperature of about $300\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{K}$. Presently about 1000 molecules/sec are produced, and much higher production rates should be attainable in the future.Ultracold potassium molecules are produced in the $X^{1}\ensuremath{\Sigma}_{g}^{+}$ electronic ground state by photoassociation in a magneto-optical trap. They are detected sensitively and selectively by use of two-color resonant ionization, followed by time-of-flight mass spectroscopy. We observe deeply bound molecules with $\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\cong}36$, at a temperature of about $300\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{K}$. Presently about 1000 molecules/sec are produced, and much higher production rates should be attainable in the future.

Physical Review LettersJan 25, 1999194 citations

Experimental progress towards investigation of ultracold KCs molecules

Daniel S. Barker, Myrrha Andersen, Joseph Paul Porembski +1 more

Bulletin of the American Physical SocietyJun 7, 20070 citations

Efficient production and spectroscopy of ultracold potassium molecules in the electronic ground state

J. R. Ensher, Anguel Nikolov, Edward E. Eyler +3 more

Summary form only given. We report results from an efficient new method for producing translationally cold (T<1 mK) potassium molecules in the ground X/sup 1//spl Sigma//sub g//sup +/ electronic state. We use the two-photon R-transfer scheme conceptually similar to a proposal by Band and Julienne (1995). First, ultracold potassium atoms in a MOT are photoassociated at long range to the 1/sub g/ molecular electronic state, which correlates to the 1/sup 1//spl Pi//sub g/ state at short range. The resulting molecules are then excited with a second laser to the 5/sup 1//spl Pi//sub u/ or 6/sup 1//spl Pi//sub u/ Rydberg states. These Rydberg states have favorable Franck-Condon factors for spontaneous decay into low vibrational levels of the ground state. The molecules are detected by use of two-color resonant ionization with pulsed lasers. By scanning one of the detection lasers, we observe transitions from several vibrational levels of the X state. The largest observed molecule formation rate in a single vibrational level is about 10/sup 5/ molecules/s for /spl nu/=25. Molecules in the lowest vibrational levels, including /spl nu/=0, are also observed with slightly lower rates of production. The translational temperature of the ground-state molecules is measured by analyzing their ballistic decay from the detection region. It is approximately 500 /spl mu/K, roughly the same as the estimated temperature of potassium atoms in the MOT.Summary form only given. We report results from an efficient new method for producing translationally cold (T<1 mK) potassium molecules in the ground X/sup 1//spl Sigma//sub g//sup +/ electronic state. We use the two-photon R-transfer scheme conceptually similar to a proposal by Band and Julienne (1995). First, ultracold potassium atoms in a MOT are photoassociated at long range to the 1/sub g/ molecular electronic state, which correlates to the 1/sup 1//spl Pi//sub g/ state at short range. The resulting molecules are then excited with a second laser to the 5/sup 1//spl Pi//sub u/ or 6/sup 1//spl Pi//sub u/ Rydberg states. These Rydberg states have favorable Franck-Condon factors for spontaneous decay into low vibrational levels of the ground state. The molecules are detected by use of two-color resonant ionization with pulsed lasers. By scanning one of the detection lasers, we observe transitions from several vibrational levels of the X state. The largest observed molecule formation rate in a single vibrational level is about 10/sup 5/ molecules/s for /spl nu/=25. Molecules in the lowest vibrational levels, including /spl nu/=0, are also observed with slightly lower rates of production. The translational temperature of the ground-state molecules is measured by analyzing their ballistic decay from the detection region. It is approximately 500 /spl mu/K, roughly the same as the estimated temperature of potassium atoms in the MOT.

Quantum Electronics and Laser Science ConferenceMay 12, 20000 citations

Efficient production and spectroscopy of ultracold potassium molecules in the electronic ground state

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Efficient production and spectroscopy of ultracold potassium molecules in the electronic ground state

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