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Updated: Oct 21, 2025

Measurement of Ultrafast Vibrational Coherences in Polyatomic Radical Cations with Strong-Field Adiabatic Ionization
Published on: August 6, 2018
Accurate prediction and measurement of vibronic branching ratios for laser cooling linear polyatomic molecules
Chaoqun Zhang1, Benjamin L Augenbraun2, Zack D Lasner2
1Department of Chemistry, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA.
Abstract:
We report a generally applicable computational and experimental approach to determine vibronic branching ratios in linear polyatomic molecules to the 10-5 level, including for nominally symmetry-forbidden transitions. These methods are demonstrated in CaOH and YbOH, showing approximately two orders of magnitude improved sensitivity compared with the previous state of the art. Knowledge of branching ratios at this level is needed for the successful deep laser cooling of a broad range of molecular species.
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