Formation, Detection and Trapping of Photoassociated Ultracold KRb Molecules

Ultracold ground-state KRb molecules are formed by photoassociation and detected by resonant two-photon ionization. We have assigned both the photoassociation spectrum and the detection laser spectrum, and we have demonstrated magnetic trapping of triplet KRb

Photoassociative production and trapping of ultracold KRb molecules.

We have produced ultracold heteronuclear KRb molecules by the process of photoassociation in a two-species magneto-optical trap. Following decay of the photoassociated KRb*, the molecules are detected using two-photon ionization and time-of-flight mass spectroscopy of KRb$^+$. A portion of the metastable triplet molecules thus formed are magnetically trapped. Photoassociative spectra down to 91 cm$^{-1}$ below the K(4$s$) + Rb (5$p_{1/2}$) asymptote have been obtained. We have made assignments to all eight of the attractive Hund's case (c) KRb* potential curves in this spectral region.

Production, trapping, and detection of ultracold polar KPb molecules