Spectroscopy of Ultracold LiRb Molecules Using Ionization Detection

<p>We present spectroscopic studies of ultracold LiRb molecules using ionization detection. The molecules are created by cooling and trapping Li and Rb atoms in overlapping magneto-optical traps (MOTs) and using light resonant with a free-bound transition to create weakly bound excited state molecules in a process known as photoassociation (PA). We explore weakly bound vibrational levels of LiRb with PA spectroscopy using ionization detection and, where possible, compare our results with earlier measurements performed in our lab using trap-loss spectroscopy. In addition, we also probe vibrational levels of the ground triplet electronic state and excited electronic states using resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) spectroscopy. We identify several vibrational levels of the α3Σ+, (3)3ΠΩ and (4)3Σ + states and compare our observations with theoretical calculations. As LiRb is one of the least studied heteronuclear diatomic molecules, these studies are aimed towards exploring the molecular structure. The spectroscopic work is also in line with the long-term project goals of transferring ultracold LiRb molecules into the lowest rotational and vibrational levels of the ground singlet electronic state. Molecules in this rovibronic ground state possess a large electric dipole moment, which is essential for application of ultracold molecules in various quantum computation schemes. The rovibronic ground state will also be an ideal starting point for investigating molecular entangled states.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Physics

Year

2014

Author dc:creator

• Altaf, Adeel

Contributors dc:contributor

• Daniel S. Elliott
• Yong P. Chen
• David D. Nolte
• Ephraim Fischbach

Repository record dc:identifier

https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/open_access_dissertations/1510

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:docs.lib.purdue.edu:open_access_dissertations-2261