Ultracold collisions of mixed atoms in optical dipole trap loaded from a dark magneto-optical trap

Abstract

We study the cold collisions of mixed atoms in an optical dipole trap (ODT), which are loaded from a dark magneto-optical trap (MOT). A comprehensive, phenomenological rate equation is presented to derive the ultracold homonuclear and heteronuclear collision rates in loading and holding procedures. Our results show that the cold atoms in the dark MOT can provide a much better stable, initial atomic sample than MOT. The dependence of the heteronuclear collision rate on the trap depth is attributed to the hyperfine-changing collision by the ODT laser with a broad linewidth. The processes of deriving the collision rate are also universal for other kinds of atoms or even molecules.