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arXiv · 0909.5534

Doppler-free laser spectroscopy of buffer gas cooled molecular radicals

S. M. Skoff·R. J. Hendricks·C. D. J. Sinclair·M. R. Tarbutt·J. J. Hudson·D. M. Segal·B. E. Sauer·E. A. Hinds
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Abstract

We demonstrate Doppler-free saturated absorption spectroscopy of cold molecular radicals formed by laser ablation inside a cryogenic buffer gas cell. By lowering the temperature, congested regions of the spectrum can be simplified, and by using different temperatures for different regions of the spectrum a wide range of rotational states can be studied optimally. We use the technique to study the optical spectrum of YbF radicals with a resolution of 30 MHz, measuring the magnetic hyperfine parameters of the electronic ground state. The method is suitable for high resolution spectroscopy of a great variety of molecules at controlled temperature and pressure, and is particularly well-suited to those that are difficult to produce in the gas phase.

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S. M. Skoff, R. J. Hendricks, C. D. J. Sinclair, M. R. Tarbutt, J. J. Hudson, D. M. Segal, B. E. Sauer, E. A. Hinds. 2009-12-02. Doppler-free laser spectroscopy of buffer gas cooled molecular radicals. https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630%2F11%2F12%2F123026

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