Toward laser cooling of radium-containing molecules*

Octupole-deformed nuclei amplify symmetry violating nuclear properties by several orders of magnitude compared to spherical nuclei [1]. Specifically, radium-containing molecules such as RaF and RaOH offer exceptional opportunities to explore fundamental physics beyond the standard model, while possessing a relatively simple electronic structure that is favorable for laser cooling  [2,3].  This combination opens the door to sensitive molecular searches for P,T violating nuclear effects, such as the nuclear Schiff moment. In this talk, I will present the progress on building an experiment to demonstrate laser cooling of radium-containing molecules (RaF and RaOH), in collaboration with MIT, Harvard, Caltech, and the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB).

1. Arriwsmith-Kron, G., et al. “Opportunities for fundamental physics research with radioactive molecules.” Rep. Prog. Phys. 87 084301 (2024).

2. Udrescu, S.-M., Wilkins, S.G., et al. "Precision spectroscopy and laser-cooling scheme of a radium-containing molecule." Nature Physics 20, 202 (2024).

3. Garcia Ruiz, R.F., et al. "Spectroscopy of short-lived radioactive molecules." Nature 581, 396 (2020).