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Photoassociation inside an optical dipole trap: absolute rate coefficients and Franck–Condon factors

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Abstract

We present quantitative measurements of the photoassociation of cesium molecules inside a far-detuned optical dipole trap. A model of the trap-depletion dynamics is derived which allows us to extract absolute photoassociation rate coefficients for the initial single-photon photoassociation step from measured trap-loss spectra. The sensitivity of this approach is demonstrated by measuring the Franck–Condon modulation of the weak photoassociation transitions into the low-vibrational levels of the outer well of the Og- state that correlates to the 6s+6p3/2 asymptote. The measurements are compared to theoretical predictions. In a magneto-optical trap, these transitions have previously only been observed indirectly through ionization of ground-state molecules.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physikalisches Institut, Universität Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Strasse 3, 79104, Freiburg, Germany

    R. Wester, S.D. Kraft, M. Mudrich, M.U. Staudt, J. Lange & M. Weidemüller

  2. CNRS, Bâtiment 505, Laboratoire Aimé Cotton, Campus d’Orsay, 91405, Orsay, France

    N. Vanhaecke & O. Dulieu

Authors
  1. R. Wester
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  2. S.D. Kraft
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  3. M. Mudrich
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  4. M.U. Staudt
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  5. J. Lange
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  6. N. Vanhaecke
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  7. O. Dulieu
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  8. M. Weidemüller
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Correspondence to R. Wester.

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PACS

34.50.Rk; 33.70.Ca; 32.80.Pj

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Wester, R., Kraft, S., Mudrich, M. et al. Photoassociation inside an optical dipole trap: absolute rate coefficients and Franck–Condon factors. Appl. Phys. B 79, 993–999 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-004-1649-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-004-1649-5

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