Photoassociation of NaRb with an asymmetric laser pulse

We investigate the photoassociation dynamics of cold NaRb molecule controlled by an asymmetric laser pulse called slowly-turned-on and rapidly-turned-off (STRT) laser pulse. This new shaped laser pulse has a remarkable merit, compared with the typical Gauss-type pulses, so that we can efficiently associate molecules with the state expected instead of going back to the continuum state. Using the three-state model, we solve the quantum mechanical equation with the “split operator-Fourier transform” method under the rotating-wave approximation (RWA) in propagation of the wave packet. By the projection of the obtained wave function onto each vibrational state, we can get the vibrational population of the ground electronic state. The results reveal that, with the STRT laser pulse, an efficient photoassociation process can be achieved and the vibrational distribution in the ground state can be controlled by the laser parameters.