Precision measurements with polar molecules: the role of the black body radiation

TL;DR

This paper examines how black-body radiation at room temperature can limit the lifetime and accuracy of precision measurements in trapped polar molecules, impacting fundamental physics tests.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of black-body radiation effects on diatomic molecules, highlighting potential limitations for high-precision measurements.

Findings

Black-body radiation can reduce molecular trapping lifetimes.

Black-body radiation induces energy shifts affecting frequency measurements.

Different molecular absorption modes are analyzed for their impact.

Abstract

In the perspective of the outstanding developments of high-precision measurements of fundamental constants using polar molecules related to ultimate checks of fundamental theories, we investigate the possibly counterproductive role of black-body radiation on a series of diatomic molecules which would be trapped and observed for long durations. We show that the absorption of black-body radiation at room temperature may indeed limit the lifetime of trapped molecules prepared in a well-defined quantum state. Several examples are treated, corresponding to pure rotational absorption, pure vibrational absorption or both. We also investigate the role of a black-body radiation-induced energy shift on molecular levels and how it could affect high-precision frequency measurements.