Study of Cold Potassium Atom - Calcium Ion Reactions

We report on our progress towards constructing a hybrid system for studying reactions between cold Potassium (K) atoms and cold Calcium (Ca$^{\mathrm{+}})^{\mathrm{\thinspace }}$ions. Ca$^{\mathrm{+\thinspace }}$ions will be trapped and Doppler-cooled inside a linear quadrupole ion trap. Cold K atoms will be created inside a magneto optical trap, such that the ion and the atoms are in an overlapping volume. Trapping and re-pumping beams for the Potassium MOT are derived from the same laser with wavelength 766 nm using two acousto optic modulators. The reaction products will be detected using a time-of- flight mass spectrometer that is designed to detect radially ejected ions. The main objective of this experiment is to study the rate coefficients, and identification of reaction channels between cold K atoms and Ca$^{\mathrm{+\thinspace }}$ions. Subsequently this setup will be used to study reactions between cold K atoms and sympathetically cooled molecular ions such as CaO$^{\mathrm{+}}$, and to study internal state quenching of molecular ions.