We report on a scheme for laser cooling of ${}^{12}{\mathrm{C}}_2$. We have calculated the branching ratios for cycling and repumping transitions and calculated the number of photon scatterings required to achieve deflection and laser cooling of a beam of ${\mathrm{C}}_2$ molecules under realistic experimental conditions. Our results demonstrate that ${\mathrm{C}}_2$ cooling using the Swan ($d{}^3{\mathrm{\Pi }}_{\text{g}}\leftrightarrow a{}^3{\mathrm{\Pi }}_{\text{u}}$) and so-called Duck ($d{}^3{\mathrm{\Pi }}_{\text{g}}\leftrightarrow c{}^3{\mathrm{\Sigma }}_{\text{u}}^{+}$) bands is achievable via techniques similar to state-of-the-art molecular cooling experiments. The Phillips ($A{}^1{\mathrm{\Pi }}_{\text{u}}\leftrightarrow X{}^1{\mathrm{\Sigma }}_{\text{g}}^{+}$) and Ballik-Ramsay ($b{}^3{\mathrm{\Sigma }}_{\text{g}}^{-}\leftrightarrow a{}^3{\mathrm{\Pi }}_{\text{u}}$) bands offer the potential for narrow-line cooling. This work opens up a path to cooling of molecules with carbon-carbon bonds and may pave the way toward quantum control of organic molecules.

Close

PrevNext

View figure in article

• Cold and ultracold molecules
• Cooling & trapping
• Molecule trapping & guiding
• Atomic & molecular beams
• Molecules