title: Cold rubidium molecules formed in a magneto-optical trap
abstract: We report the first observation of translationally cold ( approximately 90 &mgr;K) Rb2 molecules. They are produced in a magneto-optical trap in their triplet ground state. The detection is performed by selective mass spectroscopy after two-photon ionization into Rb+2, resonantly enhanced through the intermediate a (3)Sigma(+)(u)-->2 (3)Pi(g) molecular band. The two rubidium isotopes present very different types of behavior that are interpreted in terms of their respective collisional properties.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Fisica Atomica e Molecolare del C.N.R., Via del Giardino 7, 56127 Pisa, Italy.
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gabbanini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fioretti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucchesini
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gozzini
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazzoni