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Aggarwal P, Yin Y, Esajas K, Bethlem HL, Boeschoten A, Borschevsky A, Hoekstra S, Jungmann K, Marshall VR, Meijknecht TB, Mooij MC, Timmermans RGE, Touwen A, Ubachs W, Willmann L. Deceleration and Trapping of SrF Molecules. Phys Rev Lett 2021; 127:173201. [PMID: 34739281 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.127.173201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We report on the electrostatic trapping of neutral SrF molecules. The molecules are captured from a cryogenic buffer-gas beam source into the moving traps of a 4.5-m-long traveling-wave Stark decelerator. The SrF molecules in X^{2}Σ^{+}(v=0,N=1) state are brought to rest as the velocity of the moving traps is gradually reduced from 190 m/s to zero. The molecules are held for up to 50 ms in multiple electric traps of the decelerator. The trapped packets have a volume (FWHM) of 1 mm^{3} and a velocity spread of 5(1) m/s, which corresponds to a temperature of 60(20) mK. Our result demonstrates a factor 3 increase in the molecular mass that has been Stark decelerated and trapped. Heavy molecules (mass>100 amu) offer a highly increased sensitivity to probe physics beyond the standard model. This work significantly extends the species of neutral molecules of which slow beams can be created for collision studies, precision measurement, and trapping experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Aggarwal
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25, 9747 AA Groningen, The Netherlands
- Nikhef, National Institute for Subatomic Physics, Science Park 105, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Y Yin
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25, 9747 AA Groningen, The Netherlands
- Nikhef, National Institute for Subatomic Physics, Science Park 105, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - K Esajas
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25, 9747 AA Groningen, The Netherlands
- Nikhef, National Institute for Subatomic Physics, Science Park 105, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - H L Bethlem
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25, 9747 AA Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and LaserLaB, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A Boeschoten
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25, 9747 AA Groningen, The Netherlands
- Nikhef, National Institute for Subatomic Physics, Science Park 105, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A Borschevsky
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25, 9747 AA Groningen, The Netherlands
- Nikhef, National Institute for Subatomic Physics, Science Park 105, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - S Hoekstra
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25, 9747 AA Groningen, The Netherlands
- Nikhef, National Institute for Subatomic Physics, Science Park 105, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - K Jungmann
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25, 9747 AA Groningen, The Netherlands
- Nikhef, National Institute for Subatomic Physics, Science Park 105, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - V R Marshall
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25, 9747 AA Groningen, The Netherlands
- Nikhef, National Institute for Subatomic Physics, Science Park 105, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - T B Meijknecht
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25, 9747 AA Groningen, The Netherlands
- Nikhef, National Institute for Subatomic Physics, Science Park 105, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - M C Mooij
- Nikhef, National Institute for Subatomic Physics, Science Park 105, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and LaserLaB, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - R G E Timmermans
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25, 9747 AA Groningen, The Netherlands
- Nikhef, National Institute for Subatomic Physics, Science Park 105, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A Touwen
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25, 9747 AA Groningen, The Netherlands
- Nikhef, National Institute for Subatomic Physics, Science Park 105, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - W Ubachs
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and LaserLaB, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - L Willmann
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25, 9747 AA Groningen, The Netherlands
- Nikhef, National Institute for Subatomic Physics, Science Park 105, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Aggarwal P, Bethlem HL, Boeschoten A, Borschevsky A, Esajas K, Hao Y, Hoekstra S, Jungmann K, Marshall VR, Meijknecht TB, Mooij MC, Timmermans RGE, Touwen A, Ubachs W, Willmann L, Yin Y, Zapara A. A supersonic laser ablation beam source with narrow velocity spreads. Rev Sci Instrum 2021; 92:033202. [PMID: 33819994 DOI: 10.1063/5.0035568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A supersonic beam source for SrF and BaF molecules is constructed by combining the expansion of carrier gas (a mixture of 2% SF6 and 98% argon) from an Even-Lavie valve with laser ablation of a barium/strontium metal target at a repetition rate of 10 Hz. Molecular beams with a narrow translational velocity spread are produced at relative values of Δv/v = 0.053(11) and 0.054(9) for SrF and BaF, respectively. The relative velocity spread of the beams produced in our source is lower in comparison with the results from other metal fluoride beams produced in supersonic laser ablation sources. The rotational temperature of BaF is measured to be 3.5 K. The source produces 6 × 108 and 107 molecules per steradian per pulse in the X2Σ+ (ν = 0, N = 1) state of BaF and SrF molecules, respectively, a state amenable to Stark deceleration and laser cooling.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Aggarwal
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25 9747AA, The Netherlands
| | - H L Bethlem
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25 9747AA, The Netherlands
| | - A Boeschoten
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25 9747AA, The Netherlands
| | - A Borschevsky
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25 9747AA, The Netherlands
| | - K Esajas
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25 9747AA, The Netherlands
| | - Y Hao
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25 9747AA, The Netherlands
| | - S Hoekstra
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25 9747AA, The Netherlands
| | - K Jungmann
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25 9747AA, The Netherlands
| | - V R Marshall
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25 9747AA, The Netherlands
| | - T B Meijknecht
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25 9747AA, The Netherlands
| | - M C Mooij
- Nikhef, National Institute for Subatomic Physics, Science Park 105, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - R G E Timmermans
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25 9747AA, The Netherlands
| | - A Touwen
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25 9747AA, The Netherlands
| | - W Ubachs
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and LaserLaB, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - L Willmann
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25 9747AA, The Netherlands
| | - Y Yin
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25 9747AA, The Netherlands
| | - A Zapara
- Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25 9747AA, The Netherlands
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