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Magneto-optical trapping and subsequent sub-Doppler cooling of CaOH molecules

Contribution grade

Atomic and molecular physics / polyatomic laser cooling and trapping · Reusable scientific method, experimental result or historical framework

Reference score125,000Provisional editorial estimate of this exact contribution; its grade is assessed separately.

What changed

Vilas and colleagues confined calcium monohydroxide molecules in a radiofrequency magneto-optical trap and measured the response of the cloud after a push. They estimated 20,000 ± 5,000 trapped molecules. After switching off the trapping field, a separate optical-molasses stage cooled the sample to 110 ± 4 microkelvin.

Scientific scope

Vilas and colleagues confined calcium monohydroxide molecules in a radiofrequency magneto-optical trap and measured the response of the cloud after a push. They estimated 20,000 ± 5,000 trapped molecules. After switching off the trapping field, a separate optical-molasses stage cooled the sample to 110 ± 4 microkelvin. The population and density of the magneto-optical trap and the later molasses temperature refer to different stages and must not be combined as one simultaneous measurement. Calibrations described in separate supplementary material were not independently reproduced here; the sample was far from quantum degeneracy.

Evidence

The linked original works support the scoped statement and contribution attribution. WRS has not independently replayed experiments or reconstructed a full mathematical proof. The population and density of the magneto-optical trap and the later molasses temperature refer to different stages and must not be combined as one simultaneous measurement. Calibrations described in separate supplementary material were not independently reproduced here; the sample was far from quantum degeneracy.

Contributors

Provisional WRS assessment, edition 2026-10-27.2. Independent expert calibration is pending. This grade does not certify correctness or assign ownership.

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