%0 Journal Article
%T State-specific detection of trapped HfF$^+$ by photodissociation
%A Kang-Kuen Ni
%A Huanqian Loh
%A Matt Grau
%A Kevin C. Cossel
%A Jun Ye
%A Eric A. Cornell
%J Physics
%D 2014
%I arXiv
%R 10.1016/j.jms.2014.02.001
%X We use (1+1$'$) resonance-enhanced multiphoton photodissociation (REMPD) to detect the population in individual rovibronic states of trapped HfF$^+$ with a single-shot absolute efficiency of 18%, which is over 200 times better than that obtained with fluorescence detection. The first photon excites a specific rotational level to an intermediate vibronic band at 35,000-36,500 cm$^{-1}$, and the second photon, at 37,594 cm$^{-1}$ (266 nm), dissociates HfF$^+$ into Hf$^+$ and F. Mass-resolved time-of-flight ion detection then yields the number of state-selectively dissociated ions. Using this method, we observe rotational-state heating of trapped HfF$^+$ ions from collisions with neutral Ar atoms. Furthermore, we measure the lifetime of the $^3\Delta_1$ $v=0,\, J=1$ state to be 2.1(2) s. This state will be used for a search for a permanent electric dipole moment of the electron.
%U http://arxiv.org/abs/1401.5423v1