RUI: Production and Trapping Cold Molecules

United States Air Force Academy, U S A F Academy CO

Investigators

Abstract

This project is the continuation of a heretofore successful effort to produce and trap cold molecules. The first part of the project will examine several methods, among them photoassociation and three-body recombination, to increase the production rate of trapped cesium dimers. Photoassociation with two lasers will be used to produce specific molecules in specific electronic and ro-vibrational states. The second part of the project will use the trapped species to investigate cold collisions and to study laser cooling of the internal degrees of freedom. Eventually, the production of trimers and large clusters will be attempted.