title: Trapping molecular ions formed via photo-associative ionization of ultracold atoms.
abstract: The formation of (40)Ca(2)(+) molecular ions is observed in a hybrid (40)Ca magneto-optical and ion trap system. The molecular ion formation process is determined to be photo-associative ionization of ultracold (40)Ca atoms. A lower bound for the two-body rate constant is found to be beta ≥ 2 ± 1 × 10(-15) cm(3) Hz. Ab initio molecular potential curves are calculated for the neutral Ca(2) and ionic Ca(2)(+) molecules and used in a model that identifies the photo-associative ionization pathway. As this technique does not require a separate photo-association laser, it could find use as a simple, robust method for producing ultracold molecular ions.
authors: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
authors: Scott T
authors: ST
authors: Sullivan
authors: Wade G
authors: WG
authors: Rellergert
authors: Svetlana
authors: S
authors: Kotochigova
authors: Kuang
authors: K
authors: Chen
authors: Steven J
authors: SJ
authors: Schowalter
authors: Eric R
authors: ER
authors: Hudson