Decay rate measurement of the first vibrationally excited state of MgH${}^{+}$ in a cryogenic Paul trap

Abstract

We present a method to measure the decay rate of the first excited vibrational state of simple polar molecular ions being part of a Coulomb crystal in a cryogenic linear Paul trap. Specifically, we have monitored the decay of the $|\nu$=$1,J$=$1{⟩}_X$ towards the $|\nu$=$0,J$=$0{⟩}_X$ level in MgH${}^{+}$ by saturated laser excitation of the $|\nu$=$0,J$=$2{⟩}_X$-$|\nu$=$1,J$=$1{⟩}_X$ transition followed by state selective resonance enhanced two-photon dissociation out of the $|\nu$=$0,J$=$2{⟩}_X$ level. The technique enables the determination of decay rates, and thus absorption strengths, with an accuracy at the few percent level.

5 pages, 4 figures

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• Laser cooling of a diatomic molecule
• Using Molecules to Measure Nuclear Spin-Dependent Parity Violation
• Lasercooled RaF as a promising candidate to measure molecular parity violation
• Probing isotope effects in chemical reactions using single ions
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