2002/06/19 by I. S. Vogelius, Lars Bojer Madsen, L. B. Madsen +2 · 1 citation
Computer Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Atomic and Molecular Physics #Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates #Quantum Information and Cryptography #physics.atom-ph #physics.chem-ph #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.89.173003
published as Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 173003 (2002) · 4 pages, 5 figures
arxiv created 2002/06/19 · openalex publication_date 2002/10/07 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The translational motion of molecular ions can be effectively cooled sympathetically to temperatures below 100 mK in ion traps through Coulomb interactions with laser-cooled atomic ions. The distribution of internal rovibrational states, however, gets in thermal equilibrium with the typically much higher temperature of the environment within tens of seconds. We consider a concept for rotational cooling of such internally hot, but translationally cold, heteronuclear diatomic molecular ions. The scheme relies on a combination of optical pumping from a few specific rotational levels into a "dark state" with redistribution of rotational populations mediated by blackbody radiation.