Creation of three-species 87Rb–40K–6Li molecules: interfering for the best

Abstract

An ultracold three-species Bose–Fermi–Fermi degenerate atomic mixture 87Rb–40K–6Li was realized very recently (Tagliber M et al 2008 Phys. Rev. Lett. 100 010401). Here, we study the creation of heteronuclear triatomic molecules in this mixture, and show that a constructive triple-path interference can lead to an almost ideal conversion rate, in comparison with the single- or double-path cases. The important effect of the initial population imbalance on the atom–molecule dark state is also investigated.