Magnetic field dependence of ultracold inelastic collisions near a feshbach resonance

Abstract

Inelastic collision rates for ultracold 85Rb atoms in the F = 2, m(f) = -2 state have been measured as a function of magnetic field. At 250 gauss (G), the two- and three-body loss rates were measured to be K2 = (1.87+/-0.95+/-0.19)x10(-14) cm(3)/s and K3 = (4.24(+0. 70)(-0.29)+/-0.85)x10(-25) cm(6)/s, respectively. As the magnetic field is decreased from 250 G towards a Feshbach resonance at 155 G, the inelastic rates decrease to a minimum and then increase dramatically, peaking at the Feshbach resonance. Both two- and three-body losses are important, and individual contributions have been compared with theory.