We have designed and are setting up a new experimental apparatus for the laser cooling of calcium monofluoride (CaF) molecules. The design is based around a cryogenic molecular source, in which molecules are formed by laser ablation. This source has been optimized extensively, in order to provide the largest number of molecules possible. The molecules emerge from this source as a molecular beam, which will be cooled transversally and, subsequently, slowed and trapped to near standstill. For this, we use the technique of molecular laser cooling, for which extensive laser systems have been designed and set up. Following laser cooling, further collisional cooling will be required to bring the molecular gas to the quantum regime, where supersolids can be investigated. In preparation for this, we have investigated the collisional properties of the molecules theoretically and, based on this, are designing microwave electrodes to control these collisional properties in our favor. Important theoretical work has been aimed at theoretically exploring the resulting many-body states of the molecules. Finally, in order to realize compact single-molecule manipulation, we have pioneered a new approach to optical tweezers for atoms and molecules based on 3D printed optics.
Our results have been disseminated to the scientific community at international conferences and meetings.
Due to the pandemic and the move of the experiment from Stuttgart to Vienna, participation in outreach activities to promote our research to younger physics and highschool students (e.g. through lab tours) has been limited, but we have recently been able to restart such activities. We have further communicated our research to non-expert scientists and the general public (e.g. through an article in "Physics Today", social media and the project website).
