Accumulation of cold cesium molecules via photoassociation in a mixed atomic and molecular trap.
We have realized a mixed atomic and molecular trap, constituted by a Cs vapor-cell magneto-optical trap and a quadrupolar magnetic C s(2) trap, using the same magnetic field gradient. We observed the trapping of 2x 10(5) molecules, formed and accumulated in the metastable a (3)Sigma(+ )(u) state at a temperature of 30+/-10 microK through a approximately 150 ms photoassociation process. The lifetime of the trapped molecular cloud limited by the Cs background gas pressure is on the order of 1 s.
Vanhaecke
Nicolas
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Laboratoire Aimé Cotton, Bâtiment 505, Campus d'Orsay, 91405 Orsay cedex, France.
De Souza Melo
Wilson
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Laburthe Tolra
Bruno
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Comparat
Daniel
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Pillet
Pierre
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