Optical cycling of MgF molecules within the hyperfine states in X(N=1) state

Abstract

We investigated the optical cycling effect of the $\mathrm{X}^2\Sigma(v=0,\ N=1^-) - \mathrm{A}^2\Pi_{1/2}(v'=0,\ J'=1/2^+)$ band of MgF molecules, specifically the $\mathrm{P_1/Q_{12}(1)}$ transition, which serves as the main transition in the quasi-closed cycling scheme for the laser cooling. A higher number of scattered photons was observed when all three frequency components of the $\mathrm{P_1/Q_{12}(1)}$ transition were simultaneously applied using acousto-optic modulators (AOMs). Optimal conditions were identified by scanning the detuning of frequency components, the laser beam power ratio, and the total laser beam power, and the results were confirmed through rate equation simulations. Under these optimized conditions, and with an applied magnetic field, the scattering rate was enhanced by approximately a factor of six. These results refine the implementation of optical cycling in MgF and lay the groundwork for laser slowing and magneto-optical trapping (MOT) experiments.