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Sympathetic Cooling of Molecular Ions in Selected Rotational and Vibrational States Produced by Threshold Photoionization

Xin Tong, Alexander H. Winney, and Stefan Willitsch
Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 143001 – Published 27 September 2010
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Abstract

We present a new method for the generation of rotationally and vibrationally state-selected, translationally cold molecular ions in ion traps. Our technique is based on the state-selective threshold photoionization of neutral molecules followed by sympathetic cooling of the resulting ions with laser-cooled calcium ions. Using N2+ ions as a test system, we achieve >90% selectivity in the preparation of the ground rovibrational level and state lifetimes on the order of 15 minutes limited by collisions with background-gas molecules. The technique can be employed to produce a wide range of apolar and polar molecular ions in the ground and excited rovibrational states. Our approach opens up new perspectives for cold quantum-controlled ion-molecule-collision studies, frequency-metrology experiments with state-selected molecular ions and molecular-ion qubits.

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  • Received 29 June 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.143001

© 2010 The American Physical Society

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Published 27 September 2010

A novel laser ionization technique allows better control and investigation of trapped molecular ions.

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Authors & Affiliations

Xin Tong, Alexander H. Winney, and Stefan Willitsch*

  • Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 80, 4056 Basel, Switzerland

  • *stefan.willitsch@unibas.ch

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Issue

Vol. 105, Iss. 14 — 1 October 2010

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