Coherent Bichromatic Force Deflection of Molecules

Area of Science:

• Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
• Quantum Control of Molecules

Background:

• Coherent control of molecular motion is crucial for advanced applications.
• Optical forces offer non-contact methods for manipulating neutral atoms and molecules.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate and characterize the coherent optical bichromatic force on polar molecules.
• To investigate the directional momentum transfer and control of molecular beams.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a dual-frequency retroreflected laser beam to address the X$^{2}$Σ$^{+}$↔A$^{2}$Π$_{1/2}$ transition in SrOH.
• Applying the coherent optical bichromatic force to a cryogenic beam of SrOH molecules.
• Direct numerical solution of the time-dependent density matrix for modeling.

Main Results:

• Achieved transverse deflection of SrOH molecules via a bichromatic force.
• Demonstrated reversal of the force direction by adjusting laser phase.
• Attained momentum transfer of 70ℏk with minimal molecular loss.

Conclusions:

• The coherent optical bichromatic force effectively controls molecular motion.
• This method enables efficient optical deceleration of molecules with complex structures.
• Opens possibilities for advanced coherent manipulation of molecular trajectories.