heavy polyatomic molecules in an optical dipole trap*

Ultracold SrOH molecules can be used in searches for beyond Standard Model (BSM) physics, such as ultralight dark matter [1] and new CP-violating particles that produce an electron electric dipole moment [2]. In both cases, laser cooling and optical trapping of SrOH is necessary to fully exploit its sensitivity to BSM physics, since long interaction times can be achieved in optical traps and potential systematic errors are mitigated at ultracold temperatures. We present a magneto-optical trap (MOT) of SrOH [3] with >10⁴ molecules, and highlight considerations relevant to trapping heavy species with complex level structure. Ongoing work to load molecules into an optical dipole trap, suitable for precision spectroscopy probing BSM physics, is reported. We describe a near-future roadmap to >10⁵ molecules in the MOT via 2-D transverse magnetically assisted Sisyphus cooling [4], and >10⁴ molecules in the ODT using efficient transfer from a high-density conveyer-belt MOT [5].

[1]: I. Kozyryev, Z. Lasner, and J. M. Doyle, Phys. Rev. A 103, 043313 (2021).   

[2]: I. Kozyryev and N. R. Hutzler, Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 133002 (2017).

[3]: Z. Lasner et al., arXiv:2409.04948 (2024).

[4]: X. Alauze et al., Quantum Sci. Technol. 6 044005 (2021). 

[5] G. K. Li, C. Hallas, and J. M. Doyle, arXiv:2409.18090 (2024).