Supervisors: 

Professor Ed Hinds  (Imperial College London)

Dr Mike Tarbutt (Imperial College London)

MicroKelvin molecules in a quantum array: sympathetic cooling of polar molecules by ultracold atoms

The field of cold molecules is fast expanding and the techniques for cooling and trapping are improving rapidly. It is hoped that in the near future, cold molecules will provide us with a wealth of new science, from quantum simulations to testing fundamental physics.

I am currently working on a new permanent magnet trap for molecules down in the Centre for Cold Matter laboratories at Imperial. The project started with an empty optical table in a corner of the lab, so the first six months have mainly involved building up the experiment from screwing together a metal frame to the more exciting realm of optics and electronics. We are now slowly getting to the stage where we can start carrying out trapping experiments.