Searches for beyond the Standard Model physics using molecules – Grapes and Pears

The search for the CP-violating (CP-v) moments of fundamental particles is a leading frontier for physics beyond the Standard Model (BSM), currently probing the ~10 TeV mass range for new particles. Molecules are the platform for much of this work because the anisotropy of the electron cloud along the inter-atomic axes within the molecule, combined with the heavy mass of the atomic constituents, yields an amplification of sensitivity to CP-v BSM physics. Longer coherence times directly improve measurement precision, which, in turn, increases the mass reach of BSM searches. To achieve this, trapping is necessary. Laser cooling is one way to attain the low temperatures needed to trap. Recent work with alkaline earth based, ionically bonded molecules has demonstrated several molecules that can be robustly cooled to microkelvin temperatures and optically trapped. This talk will present an overview of molecule laser cooling. Recent results on laser cooling of CaOH and SrOH, as well as possibilities for laser cooling new species, will be discussed.