Abstract
We have produced and cooled the molecular ions and in a linear Paul trap. These ions were generated by the photochemical reactions and identified by the radial separation in the trap of ions with different charge-to-mass ratios. The molecular translational motion was cooled sympathetically by Coulomb interaction with laser-cooled ions to a temperature estimated to be below 100 mK. Ordered structures (ion crystals) containing more than 1000 ions, with more than being molecular ions, were obtained. Such translationally cold and well-localized samples of molecular ions could become very useful for molecular physics and chemistry.
- Received 1 March 2000
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.62.011401
©2000 American Physical Society