Production of ultracold, polar RbCs* molecules via photoassociation.
We have produced ultracold, polar RbCs* molecules via photoassociation in a laser-cooled mixture of Rb and Cs atoms. Using a model of the RbCs* molecular interaction which reproduces the observed rovibrational structure, we infer decay rates in our experiments into deeply bound X(1)Sigma(+) ground-state RbCs vibrational levels as high as 5 x 10(5) s(-1) per level. Population in such deeply bound levels could be efficiently transferred to the vibrational ground state using a single stimulated Raman transition, opening the possibility to create large samples of stable, ultracold polar molecules.
Kerman
Andrew J
AJ
Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.
Sage
Jeremy M
JM
Sainis
Sunil
S
Bergeman
Thomas
T
DeMille
David
D