99.8% success: Scientists achieve new level of controls over molecules

Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have achieved unprecedented control over a calcium monohydride molecular ion, composed of one calcium atom and one hydrogen atom. Using a technique called quantum logic spectroscopy, the team manipulated the molecule’s rotational states with 99.8% success. This method involves trapping the molecular ion alongside a calcium ion “helper” that interacts well with lasers. By laser-cooling the calcium ion, the researchers indirectly cooled the molecule, stabilizing its state for about 18 seconds—ten times longer than at room temperature—allowing repeated and precise measurements of its quantum state. The researchers detected changes in the molecule’s rotation by observing photon flashes emitted from the calcium ion, which acts as a sensitive indicator of the molecule’s quantum state transitions. This breakthrough demonstrates the ability to monitor and control molecular quantum states in real time with high fidelity. The extended coherence time and high success rate open new possibilities for using molecules in quantum technologies, exploring physics beyond the Standard