Characterizing the Zeeman slowing force for $^{40}$Ca$^{19}$F molecules

Abstract

In this paper we investigate the feasibility of Zeeman slowing calcium monofluoride (CaF) molecules originating from a cryogenic buffer gas cell. We measure the) hyperfine spectrum of CaF in the Paschen-Back regime and find excellent agreement with theory. We then investigate the scattering rate of the molecules in a molecular Zeeman slower by illuminating them with light from a 10 mW broad repumper and a 10 mW multi-frequency slowing laser. By comparing our results to theory we can calculate the photon scattering rate at higher powers, leading to a force profile for Zeeman slowing. We show results from a simple 1D simulation demonstrating that this force is both strong and narrow enough to lead to significant compression, and slowing of the molecules to trappable velocities.