Abstract
In contrast to atoms, laser cooling of molecules is very difficult because of the lack of a closed two-level scheme for recycling the population. The molecular photoassociation of cold atoms opens a promising alternative for the formation of cold molecules. Photoassociation of cold cesium atoms has permitted the first observation of translationally cold ground state molecules.1 The photoassociative spectra are obtained by the usual trap-loss method as well as by pulsed laser photoionization of Cs2 molecules into ions. The two spectra present markedly different features: while the 1g and and vibrational progressions are present in the trap-loss spectrum, the ion spectrum presents only and 1u vibrational progressions. The and 1u long-range states below the dissociation limit 6s2S1/2 + 6p2P3/2 present Condon points at intermediate distances; such configurations offer rather efficient channels for the creation of triplet or singlet ground state molecules after spontaneous decay. Temperatures of the molecular cloud, Tm, at about 300 μK are measured for a trapped atomic sample at Ta ~ 200 μK, and as low as Tm ~ 85 μK, with 30% uncertainty, for Ta ~ 30 μK.2 Different schemes to obtain formation of cold molecules through photoassociation will be discussed.
© 1999 Optical Society of America
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