Efficient cold molecular ion production for the study of quantum coherence and dipolar interactions in a molecular ion trap
Abstract
Presently atomic, molecular, and optical physics is in a transitionary period. Techniques developed over the last 25 years have made it possible gain complete quantum control of atoms. Currently, a large part of the field is shifting from learning how to control atoms to using the controlled atoms for applications in quantum computation/simulation, quantum sensing, metrology, and test of fundamental physics. In parallel with this shift, another part of the field is beginning to focus on learning to control diatomic molecules at the quantum level. It is believed, and already beginning to be seen, that the revolution that occurred when atoms were bought under control by e.g. laser cooling, could happen again with molecular systems. The complex internal structure of molecules offers a host of opportunities for quantum computation/simulation, quantum chemistry, and test of fundamental physics. Like atomic physics of 25 years ago, the techniques to control molecules are just beginning to be demonstrated, e.g. laser-cooling of diagonal diatomic molecules and association of ultracold atoms. In the last five years, the study of ultracold molecular ions has emerged as a new discipline within this effort to bring molecules under control. It is now clear that a trapped sample of ultracold molecular ions affords many of the benefits of ultracold neutral molecules, while significantly reducing experimental complexity Ð e.g. large trap depths, long trap lifetimes, and efficient detection. Despite the infancy of the field, there is already a clear path to a wide range of important studies, including the investigation of quantum chemistry, precision measurement of molecular transitions, and the implementation of scalable quantum computation architecture. Under our previous ARO Grant (Understanding molecular ion Ð neutral atom collisions for the production of ultracold molecular ions; W911NF-11-1-0524; October 1, 2011 Ð September 30, 2014), we performed a series of experiments aimed at understanding the collisional physics between ultracold neutral atoms and molecular ions. This work resulted in several important observations of cold atom-ion photochemistry that were among the first of their kind, and have helped to open the field of cold atom-ion chemistry. In addition to these reactivity studies, we also developed tools for analyzing trapped molecular ions and recording their spectra, as well as solved several longstanding problems regarding trapped ion ÒthermodynamicsÓ. Finally, using the results of all of this work, we demonstrated that both the vibrational and external degrees of freedom of trapped molecular ions are efficiently cooled by sympathetic cooling collisions with laser-cooled atoms. Thus, through our previous ARO support, we have developed many of the necessary tools and techniques to help open the field of ultracold molecular ion research. Under this proposed ARO award, we will continue developing these techniques to realize efficient sympathetic cooling and trapping of molecular ions and probe the resulting ultracold molecular ionsÕ quantum coherence and interaction properties. Though the proposed work is novel and aggressive, we emphasize that it builds on techniques proposed and already developed in our laboratory. As a result, our laboratory is currently well suited to answer these important questions and to help open the field of ultracold molecular ions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 12, 2017
- Source ID
- W911NF1510121
Entities
People
- Eric Hudson
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- United States Army
- University of California, Los Angeles