3D Magneto-Optical Trap of Yttrium Monoxide

Area of Science:

• Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
• Quantum Chemistry
• Laser Cooling

Background:

• Laser cooling techniques have been successfully applied to atoms and simple molecules.
• Trapping and cooling complex molecules presents significant experimental challenges.
• Yttrium oxide (YO) is a potential candidate for laser cooling due to its electronic structure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate three-dimensional (3D) trapping of yttrium oxide (YO) molecules.
• To achieve laser cooling of YO molecules to millikelvin temperatures.
• To explore the feasibility of magneto-optical traps (MOTs) for complex nonlinear molecules.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a radio-frequency magneto-optical trap (MOT).
• Employed laser cooling techniques to capture and cool YO molecules.
• Developed specific methods to overcome challenges in trapping nonlinear molecules.

Main Results:

• Successfully trapped approximately 1.5×10^4 YO molecules.
• Achieved a final temperature of 4.1(5) millikelvin (mK).
• Demonstrated the viability of MOTs for complex oxide molecules.

Conclusions:

• The trapping of YO molecules diversifies the range of laser-coolable molecules.
• This work paves the way for further cooling YO to the microkelvin regime.
• The developed techniques suggest MOTs are feasible for more complex nonlinear molecules.