Antrittsvorlesung : Unraveling quantum effects in cold molecular collisions

At low collisions energies where particle's' de Broglie wavelength reaches the characteristic dimensions of intermolecular interactions, molecular dynamics become dominated by quantum phenomena. This regime is difficult to reach with naturally occurring molecules due to the absence of general cooling methods. We will discuss our developments that enabled measurements of quantum scattering phenomena, including shape and Feshbach resonances, with cold molecules using magnetically merged atomic and molecular beams. I will show how these quantum fingerprints can be used to probe intermolecular interactions and quantum symmetry effects with near spectroscopic resolution. I will also highlight our latest efforts towards the generation of quantum degenerate gas of molecules.