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Measurement of the binding energy of ultracold 87Rb133Cs molecules using an offset-free optical frequency comb

Molony, P.K.; Kumar, A.; Gregory, P.D.; Kliese, R.; Puppe, T.; Le Sueur, C.R.; Aldegunde, J.; Hutson, J.M.; Cornish, S.L.

Measurement of the binding energy of ultracold 87Rb133Cs molecules using an offset-free optical frequency comb Thumbnail


Authors

P.K. Molony

A. Kumar

P.D. Gregory

R. Kliese

T. Puppe

C.R. Le Sueur

J. Aldegunde



Abstract

We report the binding energy of Rb87Cs133 molecules in their rovibrational ground state measured using an offset-free optical frequency comb based on difference frequency generation technology. We create molecules in the absolute ground state using stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) with a transfer efficiency of 88%. By measuring the absolute frequencies of our STIRAP lasers, we find the energy-level difference from an initial weakly bound Feshbach state to the rovibrational ground state with a resolution of ∼5 kHz over an energy-level difference of more than 114THz; this lets us discern the hyperfine splitting of the ground state. Combined with theoretical models of the Feshbach-state binding energies and ground-state hyperfine structure, we determine a zero-field binding energy of h×114268135.24(4)(3)MHz. To our knowledge, this is the most accurate determination to date of the dissociation energy of a molecule.

Citation

Molony, P., Kumar, A., Gregory, P., Kliese, R., Puppe, T., Le Sueur, C., …Cornish, S. (2016). Measurement of the binding energy of ultracold 87Rb133Cs molecules using an offset-free optical frequency comb. Physical Review A, 94(2), Article 022507. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.94.022507

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jun 29, 2016
Online Publication Date Aug 15, 2016
Publication Date Aug 15, 2016
Deposit Date Aug 31, 2016
Publicly Available Date Aug 31, 2016
Journal Physical Review A
Print ISSN 2469-9926
Electronic ISSN 2469-9934
Publisher American Physical Society
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 94
Issue 2
Article Number 022507
DOI https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.94.022507
Related Public URLs https://arxiv.org/abs/1605.08557

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Copyright Statement
Reprinted with permission from the American Physical Society: Molony, P.K. and Kumar, A. and Gregory, P.D. and Kliese, R. and Puppe, T. and Le Sueur, C.R. and Aldegunde, J. and Hutson, J.M. and Cornish, S.L. (2016) 'Measurement of the binding energy of ultracold 87Rb133Cs molecules using an offset-free optical frequency comb.', Physical review A., 94 (2). 022507 © 2016 by the American Physical Society. Readers may view, browse, and/or download material for temporary copying purposes only, provided these uses are for noncommercial personal purposes. Except as provided by law, this material may not be further reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, adapted, performed, displayed, published, or sold in whole or part, without prior written permission from the American Physical Society.





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