  The formation of ultracold molecules via stimulated emission followed by a
radiative deexcitation cascade in the presence of a static electric field is
investigated. By analyzing the corresponding cross sections, we demonstrate the
possibility to populate the lowest rotational excitations via photoassociation.
The modification of the radiative cascade due to the electric field leads to
narrow rotational state distributions in the vibrational ground state. External
fields might therefore represent an additional valuable tool towards the
ultimate goal of quantum state preparation of molecules.
