Angular-momentum-state distribution of sodium atoms photoassociated in a magneto-optical trap

Abstract
We present direct spectroscopic measurement of the excited state angular-momentum-state distribution of Na2*(32S1/2+32P3/2) molecules photoassociated by the trapping lasers in a sodium magneto-optical trap. We find that states with quantum numbers up to J=22 are excited and that the measured population distribution can be well described using a local equilibrium model.