Abstract
A continuously operated electrostatic trap for polar molecules is demonstrated. The trap has a volume of and holds molecules with a positive Stark shift. With deuterated ammonia from a quadrupole velocity filter, a trap density of is achieved with an average lifetime of 130 ms and a motional temperature of . The trap offers good starting conditions for high-precision measurements, and can be used as a first stage in cooling schemes for molecules and as a “reaction vessel” in cold chemistry.
- Received 5 May 2005
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.173002
©2005 American Physical Society