Ultra-cold polar molecules in an optical trap

We have recently confined ultra-cold RbCs molecules in an optical trap. Currently, these molecules are in high-lying vibrational levels of the a$^3\Sigma^+$ ground electronic state. Inelastic collision rates of these molecules with both Rb and Cs atoms have been determined for individual vibrational levels, across an order of magnitude of binding energies. A simple model for the collision process is shown to accurately reproduce the observed scattering rates. We are currently implementing a state transfer process, previously demonstrated in our lab, to transfer these molecules into the X$^1\Sigma^+(v = 0)$ absolute ground state, which possesses a large electric dipole moment ($\mu \approx$ 1.3 Debye). We will report on our recent measurements of ultra-cold inelastic molecular collisions as well as our progress towards the trapping of absolute ground state polar molecules.