ISSN:
1089-7690
Source:
AIP Digital Archive
Topics:
Physics
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
Notes:
In a recent experiment [Weinstein et al., Nature 395, 148 (1998)] we magnetically trapped 108 ground-state calcium monohydride molecules, CaH(X 2Σ,v″=0, J″=0). The molecules were prepared by laser ablation of a solid sample of CaH2 and loaded via thermalization with a cold (〈1 K) 3He buffer gas. The magnetic trap was formed by superconducting coils arranged in the anti-Helmholtz configuration. The detection was done by laser fluorescence spectroscopy excited at 635 nm (in the B 2Σ,v′=0−X 2Σ,v″=0 band) and detected at 692 nm (within the B,v′=0−X,v″=1 band). Both a photomultiplier tube and a CCD camera were used. Due to the thermalization of molecular rotation, only a transition from the lowest rotational state could be detected at zero field, N′=1, J′=3/2←N″=0, J″=1/2. In the magnetic field this rotational transition splits into two features, one shifted towards lower and one towards higher frequencies. The measured shifts are linear in field strength and indicate a small difference (0.02 μB) in the magnetic moments between the ground and excited states. Here we present a theoretical analysis of the observed magnetic shifts. These are identified as arising from a rotational perturbation of the B 2Σ,v′=0 state by a close-lying A 2Π,v′=1 state that lends the B state some of its A character. We find that the Hamiltonian can be well approximated by a 3×3 matrix built out of elements that connect states from within the Σ-doublet and the 2Π3/2 manifolds. The interaction parameter describing the Σ−Π coupling in the Zeeman Hamiltonian is determined from the observed shifts and the field-free molecular parameters of CaH given by Berg and Klyning [Phys. Scr. 10, 331 (1974)] and by Martin [J. Mol. Spectrosc 108, 66 (1984)]. © 1999 American Institute of Physics.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.477942
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