Two types of highly efficient electrostatic traps for single loading or multi-loading of polar molecules*

Abstract

Two novel electrostatic traps named octopole-based disk electrostatic trap (ODET) and tubular-based disk electrostatic trap (TDET) are proposed for trapping cold polar molecules in low-field-seeking states. Using MgF as the target molecule, single loading and multi-loading methods are numerically simulated with varied incident velocities of slow molecular beams in the two types of traps, respectively. In ODET, with an incident velocity of 10 m/s, a highest loading efficiency of 78.4% or 99.9% has been achieved under the single loading or multi-loading operation mode. In TDET, with an incident velocity of 11 m/s, a highest loading efficiency of 81.6% or 106.5% has been achieved using the two loading methods, respectively. With such high loading efficiencies, the trapped cold molecules can be applied in the researches of cold collisions, high precision spectroscopy, and precision measurements. Especially, together with a blue-detuned hollow beam, the new electrostatic traps proposed here offer a new platform for the following gradient-intensity cooling of MgF molecules, which may provide a new way to produce high density ultracold molecules.