Formation and interactions of cold and ultracold molecules: new challenges for interdisciplinary physics

Olivier Dulieu (1) , Carlo Gabbanini (2)

1 LAC - Laboratoire Aimé Cotton
2 IPCF - CNR Istituto per i Processi Chimico Fisici [Pisa]

Progress on researches in the field of molecules at cold and ultracold temperatures is reported in this review. It covers extensively the experimental methods to produce, detect and characterize cold and ultracold molecules including association of ultracold atoms, deceleration by external fields and kinematic cooling. Confinement of molecules in different kinds of traps is also discussed. The basic theoretical issues related to the knowledge of the molecular structure, the atom-molecule and molecule-molecule mutual interactions, and to their possible manipulation and control with external fields, are reviewed. A short discussion on the broad area of applications completes the review.

Mots clés: cold molecules

Domaines: Physique Quantique [quant-ph]

Olivier Dulieu, Carlo Gabbanini. Formation and interactions of cold and ultracold molecules: new challenges for interdisciplinary physics. 2009. ⟨hal-00378648⟩