Blue-detuned Magneto-optical Trap of BaF molecules

2025/06/15 by Zeng, Zixuan, Yang, Shoukang, Deng, Shuhua +1 · 1 citation
#Atomic Physics (physics.atom-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences

paper · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2506.12892

Abstract

We report the realization of a blue-detuned magneto-optical trap (BDM) of BaF molecules. The (1 + 1) type BDM and (1 + 2) type conveyor-belt MOT are explored. While the (1+1) BDM provides only weak trapping force, the conveyor-belt MOT significantly compresses the molecular cloud, achieving a radius of 320(20) μm, a temperature of 240(60) μK, and a peak density of 1.3×10⁷ cm^-3, representing a significant improvement over the red MOT. Interestingly, the conveyor-belt MOT of BaF exhibits a large capture velocity, and the loading efficiency from red MOT reaches near unity even without gray molasses. We confirm this by directly loading slowed molecules into the conveyor-belt MOT.

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