Magneto-Optical Trapping of a Heavy Polyatomic Molecule for Precision Measurement.

Area of Science:

• Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
• Quantum Chemistry
• Particle Physics and Cosmology

Background:

• Ultracold polyatomic molecules are promising for precision measurements and searches for new physics.
• Strontium monohydroxide (SrOH) is a candidate molecule due to its complex structure and potential for sensitive measurements.
• Magneto-optical trapping (MOT) is a key technique for achieving ultracold temperatures in atoms and molecules.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the magneto-optical trapping of strontium monohydroxide (SrOH) molecules.
• To characterize the properties of trapped SrOH molecules, including temperature and lifetime.
• To establish a foundation for future experiments utilizing ultracold SrOH for precision measurements and searches for new physics.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a magneto-optical trap (MOT) to capture and cool strontium monohydroxide (SrOH) molecules.
• Measured the number of trapped molecules and their temperature using established spectroscopic techniques.
• Determined the lifetime of the trapped molecules by monitoring their decay rate.

Main Results:

• Successfully trapped 2000(600) strontium monohydroxide (SrOH) molecules.
• Achieved an ultracold temperature of 1.2(3) mK.
• Measured a molecular lifetime of 91(9) ms, limited by decay to unaddressed vibrational states.

Conclusions:

• The magneto-optical trapping of SrOH is demonstrated, providing a new platform for ultracold molecule research.
• The achieved ultracold temperatures and measured lifetime are crucial for future precision measurements.
• This work paves the way for using SrOH in searches for physics beyond the Standard Model, such as dark matter and CP violation.