Simulations of a frequency-chirped magneto-optical trap of MgF

TL;DR

This paper uses simulations to demonstrate that a frequency-chirped magneto-optical trap significantly enhances MgF molecule capture velocity and stability, enabling efficient loading from cryogenic sources and potential for increased molecule trapping.

Contribution

It introduces a novel frequency-chirped MOT scheme for MgF molecules, showing improved capture velocity and stability through detailed simulations.

Findings

Capture velocity increased by a factor of 4 to 80 m/s

MOT remains stable with minimal molecule loss

Potential for loading multiple molecule pulses

Abstract

We simulate the capture process of MgF molecules into a frequency-chirped molecular MOT. Our calculations show that by chirping the frequency, the MOT capture velocity is increased by about of factor of 4 to 80 m/s, allowing for direct loading from a two-stage cryogenic buffer gas beam source. Moreover, we simulate the effect of this frequency chirp for molecules already present in the MOT. We find that the MOT should be stable with little to no molecule loss. The chirped MOT should thus allow loading of multiple molecule pulses to increase the number of trapped molecules