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Continuous loading of an electrostatic trap for polar molecules

T. Rieger·T. Junglen·S. A. Rangwala·P. W. H. Pinkse·G. Rempe
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Abstract

A continuously operated electrostatic trap for polar molecules is demonstrated. The trap has a volume of ~0.6 cm^3 and holds molecules with a positive Stark shift. With deuterated ammonia from a quadrupole velocity filter, a trap density of ~10^8/cm^3 is achieved with an average lifetime of 130 ms and a motional temperature of ~300 mK. The trap offers good starting conditions for high-precision measurements, and can be used as a first stage in cooling schemes for molecules and as a "reaction vessel" in cold chemistry.

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T. Rieger, T. Junglen, S. A. Rangwala, P. W. H. Pinkse, G. Rempe. 2005-08-25. Continuous loading of an electrostatic trap for polar molecules. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.95.173002

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