Berlin 2005 – scientific programme
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MO: Molekülphysik
MO 21: Heteronuclear Cold Molecules
MO 21.5: Talk
Saturday, March 5, 2005, 09:30–09:45, HU 2091
An AC electric trap for molecules in high-field seeking states — •Jacqueline van Veldhoven1,2, Hendrick L. Bethlem2, and Gerard Meijer1 — 1Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany — 2FOM-Institute for Plasma Physics ”Rijnhuizen”, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
During the last years, trapping of high-field seeking molecules using optical fields has been experimentally demonstrated. However, typical trap depths and trapping volumes are small (≈ 1 mK and ≈ 10−5 cm3). It is important to develop deeper and larger volume traps for molecules in high-field seeking states, for instance because the absolute ground-state of any molecule is high-field seeking. When molecules are trapped in their absolute ground-state, increasing their phase-space density via evaporative cooling will be possible, as trap loss due to inelastic collisions can be avoided. Moreover, when heavier molecules with small rotational constants are to be trapped, a trap for molecules in high-field seeking states is the only viable option. Trapping of molecules in high-field seeking states in an electric field can be achieved in a cylindrically symmetric field that is designed such that it is focusing in the radial direction and defocusing in the axial direction, or vice versa. By switching between these two different electric field configurations, a molecule that is either in a high- or in a low-field seeking state will experience a force that is alternatingly focusing and defocusing in each direction, with an overall focusing effect. We report here on the trapping of ammonia molecules in both high-field seeking and low-field seeking states in such a novel AC electric trap.