RUI: Exotic Molecules and Isotope Studies in Metastable-Atom Traps

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This award supports a series of experiments with magneto-optically trapped atomic krypton that will be performed in the context of a multifaceted undergraduate research program in atomic, molecular, and optical physics at Calvin College. The primary project involves photoassociation spectroscopy of purely long-range molecular states of krypton. A secondary project is also proposed, which aims to improve the efficiency of metastable-atom sources by optimizing a previously demonstrated optical excitation technique. Both projects will build on the experimental capabilities that the PI and his undergraduate students have already developed within their institution, and they will address questions raised in the context of the PI's external collaborations. The broader impact of the program involves undergraduate education.