High Compression Blue-Detuned Magneto-Optical Trap of Polyatomic Molecules

We demonstrate a blue-detuned magneto-optical trap (MOT) of a polyatomic molecule, calcium monohydroxide (CaOH). We identify a novel MOT frequency configuration that produces high spatial compression of the molecular cloud. This high compression MOT achieves a cloud radius of 59(5) μm and a peak density of 8(2) × 10^8 cm^-3, the highest reported density for a molecular MOT to date. We compare our experimental studies of blue-detuned MOTs for CaOH and compare with Monte-Carlo simulations, finding good agreement.