Düsseldorf 2007 – scientific programme
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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik
Q 14: Anwendung ultrakurzer Lichtimpulse I
Q 14.8: Talk
Monday, March 19, 2007, 18:15–18:30, 5K
Femtosecond Excitation of Ultracold Molecules and Collision Pairs — •Terence Mullins1, Wenzel Salzmann1, Judith Eng1, Magnus Albert1, Roland Wester1, Matthias Weidemüller1, Andrea Merli2, Steffan Weber2, Franziska Sauer2, Mateusz Plewicki2, Fabian Weise2, Ludger Wöste2, and Albrecht Lindinger2 — 1Universität Freiburg, Hermann Herder Str.3, D-79104 Freiburg i. Br., Germany — 2Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 14, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
We investigate the interaction of femtosecond pulses with free collision pairs and ultracold molecules in a high density dark magneto-optical trap [1]. In a pump-probe experiment, these complexes are excited and ionized by a double-pulse sequence consisting of a shaped pump pulse and an ionization probe pulse, adjusted to detect excited state molecules. The molecular ion signals show wavepacket dynamics in electronically excited potentials, a crucial requirement for further coherent manipulation of molecule formation [2] and de-excitation [3]. Our results show, in addition to earlier experiments [4], that pump pulse spectra and energies have to be carefully controlled in order to avoid multi-photon excitation effects. These observations are discussed in view of the goal of forming deeply bound ultracold molecules in the electronic ground state.
[1] C.G. Townsend et al., Phys. Rev. A, 53, 1702, 1996.
[2] U. Poschinger et al., J. Phys. B, 39, 1001 2006.
[3] C.P. Koch et al., Phys. Rev. A, 73, 043409, 2006.
[4] W. Salzmann et al., Phys. Rev. A, 73, 023414, 2006.