A simple, versatile laser system for the creation of ultracold ground state molecules

Gregory, P.D.; Molony, P.K.; Köppinger, M.P.; Kumar, A.; Ji, Z.; Lu, B.; Marchant, A.L.; Cornish, S.L.

doi:10.1088/1367-2630/17/5/055006

A simple, versatile laser system for the creation of ultracold ground state molecules

Gregory, P.D.; Molony, P.K.; Köppinger, M.P.; Kumar, A.; Ji, Z.; Lu, B.; Marchant, A.L.; Cornish, S.L.

Authors

P.D. Gregory

P.K. Molony

M.P. Köppinger

A. Kumar

Z. Ji

B. Lu

A.L. Marchant

Professor Simon Cornish s.l.cornish@durham.ac.uk
Professor

Abstract

Paper Part of Focus on New Frontiers of Cold Molecules Research A narrow-linewidth, dual-wavelength laser system is vital for the creation of ultracold ground state molecules via stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) from a weakly bound Feshbach state. Here we describe how a relatively simple apparatus consisting of a single fixed-length optical cavity can be used to narrow the linewidth of the two different wavelength lasers required for STIRAP simultaneously. The frequency of each of these lasers is referenced to the cavity and is continuously tunable away from the cavity modes through the use of non-resonant electro-optic modulators. Self-heterodyne measurements suggest the laser linewidths are reduced to several 100 Hz. In the context of 87Rb133Cs molecules produced via magnetoassociation on a Feshbach resonance, we demonstrate the performance of the laser system through one- and two-photon molecular spectroscopy. Finally, we demonstrate transfer of the molecules to the rovibrational ground state using STIRAP.

Citation

Gregory, P., Molony, P., Köppinger, M., Kumar, A., Ji, Z., Lu, B., …Cornish, S. (2015). A simple, versatile laser system for the creation of ultracold ground state molecules. New Journal of Physics, 17, Article 055006. https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/17/5/055006

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Apr 1, 2015
Online Publication Date	May 7, 2015
Publication Date	May 7, 2015
Deposit Date	Dec 1, 2014
Publicly Available Date	May 11, 2015
Journal	New Journal of Physics
Publisher	IOP Publishing
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	17
Article Number	055006
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/17/5/055006
Keywords	Molecules, STIRAP, Magnetoassociation, Narrow linewidth laser, Molecular spectroscopy, RbCs.

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