Abstract
We have produced ultracold, polar molecules via photoassociation in a laser-cooled mixture of Rb and Cs atoms. Using a model of the molecular interaction which reproduces the observed rovibrational structure, we infer decay rates in our experiments into deeply bound ground-state RbCs vibrational levels as high as per level. Population in such deeply bound levels could be efficiently transferred to the vibrational ground state using a single stimulated Raman transition, opening the possibility to create large samples of stable, ultracold polar molecules.
- Received 8 August 2003
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.033004
©2004 American Physical Society