title: Production of ultracold, polar RbCs* molecules via photoassociation.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Kerman
authors.forename: Jeremy M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sage
authors.forename: Sunil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sainis
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bergeman
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: DeMille