Related papers: Quantum-state selection, alignment, and orientatio…
Atomic-resolution-imaging approaches for single molecules, such as coherent x-ray diffraction at free-electron lasers, require the delivery of high-density beams of identical molecules. However, even very cold beams of biomolecules…
The extraordinary success in laser cooling, trapping, and coherent manipulation of atoms has energized the efforts in extending this exquisite control to molecules. Not only are molecules ubiquitous in nature, but the control of their…
Precise measurement of the particle number, spatial distribution and internal state is fundamental to all proposed experiments with ultracold molecules both in bulk gases and optical lattices. Here, we demonstrate in-situ detection of…
Orientation states of two coupled polar molecules controlled by laser pulses are studied theoretically. By varying the period of a series of periodically applied laser pulse, transition from regular to chaotic behavior may occur. Schmidt…
Ultracold molecules confined in optical lattices or tweezer traps can be used to process quantum information and simulate the behaviour of many-body quantum systems. Molecules offer several advantages for these applications. They have a…
We have developed and experimentally demonstrated an improved electrostatic deflector for the spatial separation of molecules according to their dipole-moment-to-mass ratio. The device features a very open structure that allows for…
We have focused and decelerated benzonitrile (C$_7$H$_5$N) molecules from a molecular beam, using an array of time-varying inhomogeneous electric fields in alternating gradient configuration. Benzonitrile is prototypical for large…
Laser cooling and trapping of atoms and atomic ions has led to numerous advances including the observation of exotic phases of matter, development of exquisite sensors and state-of-the-art atomic clocks. The same level of control in…
Molecules have vibrational, rotational, spin-orbit and hyperfine degrees of freedom or quantum states, each of which responds in a unique fashion to external electromagnetic radiation. The control over superpositions of these quantum states…
The lack of a direct map between control fields and desired control objectives poses a significant challenge in applying quantum control theory to quantum technologies. Here, we propose an analytical framework to precisely control a limited…
Quantum states with long-lived coherence are essential for quantum computation, simulation and metrology. The nuclear spin states of ultracold molecules prepared in the singlet rovibrational ground state are an excellent candidate for…
This study shows the unexpected and counter-intuitive possibility of simultaneously orienting a molecule while delocalizing its molecular axis in a plane in field-free conditions. The corresponding quantum states are characterized and…
Ultracold molecules trapped in optical tweezers show great promise for the implementation of quantum technologies and precision measurements. We study a prototypical scenario where two interacting polar molecules placed in separate traps…
Proposals for quantum computing using rotational states of polar molecules as qubits have previously considered only diatomic molecules. For these the Stark effect is second-order, so a sizable external electric field is required to produce…
We present a method to design a finite decay rate for excited rotational states in polar molecules. The setup is based on a hybrid system of polar molecules with atoms driven into a Rydberg state. The atoms and molecules are coupled via the…
Helium nanodroplets doped with polar molecules are studied by electrostatic deflection. This broadly applicable method allows even polyatomic molecules to attain sub-Kelvin temperatures and nearly full orientation in the field. The…
A moderately intense $450$ fs laser pulse is used to create rotational wave packets in gas phase $\rm{I_2}$ molecules. The ensuing time-dependent alignment, measured by Coulomb explosion imaging with a delayed probe pulse, exhibits the…
A beam of polar molecules can be focused and transported through an ac electric quadrupole guide. At a given ac frequency, the transmission of the guide depends on the mass-to-dipole-moment (m/\textmu) ratio of the molecular quantum state.…
Beams of polar molecules can be focused using an array of electrostatic lenses in alternating gradient (AG) configuration. They can also be accelerated or decelerated by applying an appropriate high voltage switching sequence to the lenses.…
We present a comprehensive characterization of cold molecular beams from a cryogenic buffer-gas cell, providing an insight into the physics of buffer-gas cooling. Cold molecular beams are extracted from a cryogenic cell by electrostatic…