A conveyor-belt magneto-optical trap of CaF

Area of Science:

• Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
• Quantum Science and Technology
• Ultracold Matter

Background:

• High-density samples of laser-cooled molecules are essential for advancing precision measurements, ultracold chemistry, and quantum science.
• Conventional magneto-optical traps (MOTs) for molecules have limitations in achieving high densities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally realize a high-density conveyor-belt magneto-optical trap (MOT) for calcium monofluoride (CaF) molecules.
• To demonstrate a significant increase in molecular sample density compared to conventional MOTs.
• To investigate the subsequent loading of these dense molecular samples into optical dipole traps.

Main Methods:

• Development and implementation of a conveyor-belt magneto-optical trap (MOT) specifically designed for CaF molecules.
• Characterization of the trapped molecular cloud's density, size, and temperature.
• Loading of the laser-cooled molecules into an optical dipole trap.

Main Results:

• Achieved a highly-compressed CaF molecular cloud with a peak number density of 3.6(5) × 10¹⁰ cm^-3, a 600-fold increase over conventional MOTs.
• Demonstrated the densest molecular MOT reported to date.
• Successfully loaded up to 2.6 × 10⁴ molecules into an optical dipole trap at a temperature of 14(2) μK, reaching a peak phase-space density of ~2.4 × 10^-6.

Conclusions:

• The developed conveyor-belt MOT is a significant advancement for creating high-density ultracold molecular samples.
• This technique opens new avenues for research and applications in precision measurements, ultracold chemistry, and quantum science.
• The ability to generate dense, ultracold molecular samples is crucial for exploring novel quantum phenomena and technologies.