Characterizing the Zeeman slowing force for ${}^{40}$Ca${}^{19}$F molecules

Abstract

In this paper we investigate the feasibility of Zeeman slowing calcium monofluoride (CaF) molecules originating from a cryogenic buffer gas cell. We measure the $A^2{\Pi }_{1/2}(v=0,J=\frac{1}{2})-X^2{\Sigma }_{1/2}(v=0,N=1)$ hyperfine spectrum of CaF in the Paschen-Back regime and find excellent agreement with theory. We then investigate the scattering rate of the molecules in a molecular Zeeman slower by illuminating them with light from a 10mW broad repumper and a 10mW multi-frequency slowing laser. By comparing our results to theory we can calculate the photon scattering rate at higher powers, leading to a force profile for Zeeman slowing. We show results from a simple 1D simulation demonstrating that this force is both strong and narrow enough to lead to significant compression, and slowing of the molecules to trappable velocities.

arXiv comment17 pages, 5 figures

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• Slowing YbF molecules using radiation pressure