Electric-field-controlled cold dipolar collisions between trapped CH${}_3$F molecules

Abstract

Reaching high densities is a key step towards cold-collision experiments with polyatomic molecules. We use a cryofuge to load up to 2$\times 10^7$ CH${}_3$F molecules into a box-like electric trap, achieving densities up to 10${}^7$/cm${}^3$ at temperatures around 350 mK where the elastic dipolar cross-section exceeds 7$\times$10${}^{-12}$cm${}^2$. We measure inelastic rate constants below 4$\times$10${}^{-8}$cm${}^3$/s and control these by tuning a homogeneous electric field that covers a large fraction of the trap volume. Comparison to ab-initio calculations gives excellent agreement with dipolar relaxation. Our techniques and findings are generic and immediately relevant for other cold-molecule collision experiments.

arXiv commentTo be published in Physical Review Letters: https://journals.aps.org/prl/accepted/e5070Y42Cf013066f8871d5761f80f99fa8136ff5

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