title: Blackbody-radiation-assisted laser cooling of molecular ions.
abstract: The translational motion of molecular ions can be effectively cooled sympathetically to temperatures below 100 mK in ion traps through Coulomb interactions with laser-cooled atomic ions. The distribution of internal rovibrational states, however, gets in thermal equilibrium with the typically much higher temperature of the environment within tens of seconds. We consider a concept for rotational cooling of such internally hot, but translationally cold, heteronuclear diatomic molecular ions. The scheme relies on a combination of optical pumping from a few specific rotational levels into a "dark state" with redistribution of rotational populations mediated by blackbody radiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Aarhus, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Vogelius
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Madsen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drewsen