3D Magneto-Optical Trap of Yttrium Monoxide

Abstract

We report three-dimensional trapping of an oxide molecule (YO), using a radio-frequency magneto-optical trap (MOT). The total number of molecules trapped is ∼1.5×10^{4}, with a temperature of 4.1(5) mK. This diversifies the frontier of molecules that are laser coolable and paves the way for the second-stage narrow-line cooling in this molecule to the microkelvin regime. Futhermore, the new challenges of creating a 3D MOT of YO resolved here indicate that MOTs of more complex nonlinear molecules should be feasible as well.