A Next generation Molecular Tweezer Apparatus for Quantum Simulation

Optical tweezer arrays of ultracold molecules provide a promising platform for precisely manipulating molecular internal states of individual molecules and inducing strong dipolar interaction between them. Trapping, rearranging, and merging molecular tweezers have been demonstrated and successfully applied to molecular collision measurements with CaF at ultracold temperature. Here we report ongoing progress on a new CaF molecular optical tweezer apparatus designed for quantum simulation. With an upgraded cryogenic beam source and a high magnetic field gradient RF MOT design, we achieve a significantly improved MOT of CaF molecules. A glass cell allows for large numerical apertures for increased detection fidelity and is compatible with future cryogenic operation to improve the vibrational black body limited lifetime. We plan to further cool the molecules to the motional ground state of the tweezers and polarize them with high voltage electrodes and microwave fields, and, finally, coupling them through their intrinsic dipole moments.