Abstract
We measure chemical reactions between a single trapped ion and ultracold dimers. This produces molecular ions that we detect via mass spectrometry. We explain the reaction rates by modeling the dimer density as a function of the magnetic field and obtain excellent agreement when we assume the reaction to follow the Langevin rate. Our results present a novel approach towards the creation of cold molecular ions and point to the exploration of ultracold chemistry in ion molecule collisions. What is more, with a detection sensitivity below molecule densities of , we provide a new method to detect low-density molecular gases.
- Received 27 October 2021
- Accepted 1 February 2022
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.128.103401
© 2022 American Physical Society
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
synopsis
Cold Collisions Get Charged
Published 10 March 2022
Researchers demonstrate that they can create molecules from lithium dimers and ytterbium ions, paving the way for quantum chemistry studies in a new type of system.
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