Slowing, Cooling, and Laser Spectroscopy of Helium Atoms and CaF Molecules

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This research project focuses on the laser deceleration, cooling and spectroscopy of the highly dipolar calcium monofluoride molecule, CaF. The choice CaF is motivated partially by its fundamental interest, and partially because its light mass and simple energy level structure make them excellent candidates for optical force manipulation. There are two principal objectives:(1) New methods for laser slowing and cooling using optical bichromatic forces. These are strong optical forces from two-color beams that can bring atoms or molecules to a stop in just a few centimeters. The extension of bichromatic force methods to molecules offers opportunities for major advances, because it is capable of large momentum exchanges even for species lacking a fully closed two-level cycling transition.(2) Spectroscopy of CaF molecules. Experiments will probe the physics and interactions of dense cold gases of highly excited "Rydberg" states, in which an excited electron orbits an ionic core in its ground state. Of particular interest is the physics and chemistry of cold molecular Rydberg gases of highly dipolar CaF molecules, including the effects of low-temperature molecule-molecule collisions.This research will contribute most strongly to basic atomic and molecular physics, but will also likely lead to new applications of optical bichromatic forces to molecular spectroscopy and chemistry, and will make contributions to microcontroller-based laser instrumentation.