Photoassociative Production and Trapping of Ultracold KRb Molecules

Abstract

We have produced ultracold heteronuclear KRb molecules by the process of photoassociation in a two-species magneto-optical trap. Following decay of the photoassociated KRb*, the molecules are detected using two-photon ionization and time-of-flight mass spectroscopy of KRb$^+$. A portion of the metastable triplet molecules thus formed are magnetically trapped. Photoassociative spectra down to 91 cm$^{-1}$ below the K(4$s$) + Rb (5$p_{1/2}$) asymptote have been obtained. We have made assignments to all eight of the attractive Hund's case (c) KRb* potential curves in this spectral region.