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arXiv · 1812.07926

Deep laser cooling and efficient magnetic compression of molecules

L. Caldwell·J. A. Devlin·H. J. Williams·N. J. Fitch·E. A. Hinds·B. E. Sauer·M. R. Tarbutt
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Abstract

We introduce a scheme for deep laser cooling of molecules based on robust dark states at zero velocity. By simulating this scheme, we show it to be a widely applicable method that can reach the recoil limit or below. We demonstrate and characterise the method experimentally, reaching a temperature of 5.4(7) $\mu$K. We solve a general problem of measuring low temperatures for large clouds by rotating the phase-space distribution and then directly imaging the complete velocity distribution. Using the same phase-space rotation method, we rapidly compress the cloud. Applying the cooling method a second time, we compress both the position and velocity distributions.

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L. Caldwell, J. A. Devlin, H. J. Williams, N. J. Fitch, E. A. Hinds, B. E. Sauer, M. R. Tarbutt. 2018-12-19. Deep laser cooling and efficient magnetic compression of molecules. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.123.033202

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