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arXiv · 1008.5034

Coherent transfer of photoassociated molecules into the rovibrational ground state

K. Aikawa·D. Akamatsu·M. Hayashi·K. Oasa·J. Kobayashi·P. Naidon·T. Kishimoto·M. Ueda·S. Inouye
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Abstract

We report on the direct conversion of laser-cooled 41K and 87Rb atoms into ultracold 41K87Rb molecules in the rovibrational ground state via photoassociation followed by stimulated Raman adiabatic passage. High-resolution spectroscopy based on the coherent transfer revealed the hyperfine structure of weakly bound molecules in an unexplored region. Our results show that a rovibrationally pure sample of ultracold ground-state molecules is achieved via the all-optical association of laser-cooled atoms, opening possibilities to coherently manipulate a wide variety of molecules.

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K. Aikawa, D. Akamatsu, M. Hayashi, K. Oasa, J. Kobayashi, P. Naidon, T. Kishimoto, M. Ueda, S. Inouye. 2010-08-30. Coherent transfer of photoassociated molecules into the rovibrational ground state. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.105.203001

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