Dual-species Magneto-optical Trap Research Articles

Collisions in a dual-species magneto-optical trap of molecules and atoms

We study inelastic collisions between CaF molecules and 87Rb atoms in a dual-species magneto-optical trap. The presence of atoms increases the loss rate of molecules from the trap. By measuring the loss rates and density distributions, we determine a collisional loss rate coefficient k 2 = (1.43 ± 0.29) × 10−10 cm3 s−1 at a temperature of 2.4 mK. We show that this is not substantially changed by light-induced collisions or by varying the populations of excited-state atoms and molecules. The observed loss rate is close to the universal rate expected in the presence of fast loss at short range, and can be explained by rotation-changing collisions in the ground electronic state.

Heteronuclear Long-Range Rydberg Molecules.

We present the formation of homonuclear Cs_{2}, K_{2}, and heteronuclear CsK long-range Rydberg molecules in a dual-species magneto-optical trap for ^{39}K and ^{133}Cs by one-photon UV photoassociation. The different ground-state-density dependence of homo- and heteronuclear photoassociation rates and the detection of stable molecular ions resulting from autoionization provide an unambiguous assignment. We perform bound-bound millimeter-wave spectroscopy of long-range Rydberg molecules to access molecular states not accessible by one-photon photoassociation. Calculations based on the most recent theoretical model and atomic parameters do not reproduce the full set of data from homo- and heteronuclear long-range Rydberg molecules consistently. This shows that photoassociation and millimeter-wave spectroscopy of heteronuclear long-range Rydberg molecules provide a benchmark for the development of theoretical models.

Stochastic dynamics of a few sodium atoms in a cold potassium cloud [data

We provide the data and our jupyter notebooks used to generate the figures of our publication. Abstract: We report on the stochastic dynamics of a few sodium atoms immersed in a cold potassium cloud. The studies are realized in a dual-species magneto-optical trap by continuously monitoring the emitted fluorescence of the two atomic species. We investigate the time evolution of sodium and potassium atom numbers in a unified statistical language and study the detection limits. We resolve the sodium atom number accurately, which provides a fit free analysis. This work paves the path towards precise statistical studies of the dynamical properties of few atoms immersed in complex quantum environments.

Highly sensitive photoassociation spectroscopy of ultracold 23Na133Cs molecular long-range states below the 3S1/2+6P1/2 limit

This article describes the preparation of ultracold heteronuclear polar excited NaCs molecules through photoassociation in a dual-species magneto-optical trap. Ten resonant positions are observed below the Na (3S1/2) + Cs (6P1/2) dissociation limit using trap-loss spectroscopy based on a highly sensitive modulation technique. We deduce the long-range molecular coefficients by fitting an improved LeRoy–Bernstein formula to our experimental data using the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm implemented in Mathematica software, and derive the empirical potential energy curve in the long-range region; we also verify the application of the improved LeRoy–Bernstein formula to the ultracold NaCs molecule.

Observation of photoassociation of ultracold sodium and cesium at the asymptote Na (3S1/2) + Cs (6P1/2).

We report on the production of ultracold heteronuclear NaCs* molecules in a dual-species magneto-optical trap through photoassociation. The electronically excited molecules are formed below the Na (3S1/2) + Cs (6P1/2) dissociation limit. 12 resonance lines are detected using trap-loss spectroscopy based on a highly sensitive modulation technique. The highest observed rovibrational level exhibits clear hyperfine structure, which is detected for the first time. This structure is simulated within a simplified model consisting of 4 coupled levels belonging to the initially unperturbed Hund's case "a" electronic states, which have been explored in our previous work that dealt with the Na (3S1/2) + Cs (6P3/2) asymptote [W. Liu et al., Phys. Rev. A 94, 032518 (2016)].

Highly sensitive photoassociation spectroscopy of ultracold 23Na133Cs molecular long-range states below the 3S1/2 + 6P3/2 limit**Project supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2017YFA0304203), the ChangJiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in the University of the Ministry of Education of China (Grant No. IRT13076), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 91436108,

We present high resolution photoassociation spectroscopy of ultracold 23Na133Cs molecules in a long-range c3Σ+ state below the (3S1/2 + 6P3/2) asymptote. We perform photoassociation spectroscopy in a dual-species magneto-optical trap (MOT) and detect the photoassociation resonances using trap-loss spectroscopy. By fitting the experimental data with the semi-classical LeRoy–Bernstein formula, we deduce the long-range molecular coefficient C6 and derive the empirical potential energy curve in the long-range region.

An ultracold, optically trapped mixture of 87Rb and metastable 4He atoms

We report on the realization of an ultracold (<25 μK) mixture of rubidium (87Rb) and metastable triplet helium (4He) in an optical dipole trap. Our scheme involves laser cooling in a dual-species magneto-optical trap, simultaneous MW- and RF-induced forced evaporative cooling in a quadrupole magnetic trap, and transfer to a single-beam optical dipole trap. We observe long trapping lifetimes for the doubly spin-stretched spin-state mixture and measure much shorter lifetimes for other spin-state combinations. We discuss prospects for realizing quantum degenerate mixtures of alkali-metal and metastable helium atoms.Graphical abstract

Observation and analysis of the hyperfine structure of near-dissociation levels of the NaCscΣ+3state below the dissociation limit3S1/2+6P3/2

We report photoassociation (PA) of ultracold Na and Cs atoms in a dual-species magneto-optical trap. Trap loss spectroscopy of the ultracold polar NaCs molecules formed by PA, which carries information about relative PA transition strengths, has been experimentally obtained by using highly sensitive modulation spectroscopy technique. The fine and hyperfine effects at near-dissociation levels of NaCs molecular $c\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{3}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{+}$ state are observed and modeled. The interaction Hamiltonian is described in terms of the Hund's case ($a$) coupling scheme. The molecular hyperfine structure of near-dissociation levels is simulated within a simplified model of four interacting vibrational levels belonging to different initially unperturbed electronic states. The results of the simulation infer that the interaction parameters of the observed near-dissociation levels are close to the asymptotic parameters of the pair of atoms. The coupling of the electronic states is essential for forming the hyperfine structure.

Photoassociative production of ultracold heteronuclearYbLi*molecules

We report on the production of ultracold heteronuclear YbLi* molecules in a dual-species magneto-optical trap by photoassociation (PA). The formation of the electronically excited molecules close to dissociation was observed by trap loss spectroscopy. We find 4 rovibrational states within a range of $250\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GHz}$ below the $\mathrm{Yb}(^{1}S_{0})+\mathrm{Li}(^{2}P_{1/2})$ asymptote and observe isotopic PA line shifts in mixtures of $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$ with $^{174}\mathrm{Yb}$, $^{172}\mathrm{Yb}$, and $^{176}\mathrm{Yb}$. We also describe our theoretical ab initio calculation for the relevant electronic potentials and utilize it to analyze and identify the lines in the experimentally observed spectrum.

Production and characterization of a dual species magneto-optical trap of cesium and ytterbium.

We describe an apparatus designed to trap and cool a Yb and Cs mixture. The apparatus consists of a dual species effusive oven source, dual species Zeeman slower, magneto-optical traps in a single ultra-high vacuum science chamber, and the associated laser systems. The dual species Zeeman slower is used to load sequentially the two species into their respective traps. Its design is flexible and may be adapted for other experiments with different mixtures of atomic species. The apparatus provides excellent optical access and can apply large magnetic bias fields to the trapped atoms. The apparatus regularly produces 10(8) Cs atoms at 13.3 μK in an optical molasses, and 10(9) (174)Y b atoms cooled to 22 μK in a narrowband magneto-optical trap.

Ultracold collisions in a dual species 23Na-133Cs magneto-optical trap

The production and research of ultracold heteronuclear molecules have aroused the great interest recently. On the one hand, these molecules are extremely popular in experiments for exploring the collision dynamic behaviors in threshold, photoassociative spectrum and strong dipole-dipole interactions. On the other hand, ultracold polar molecules populated at deeply bound levels in the singlet ground state are the right candidates to investigate quantum memories for quantum simulation, and to study strongly interacting quantum degenerate gases. The precise knowledge of cold collision processes between two different types of alkali atoms is necessary for understanding and utilizing ultracold heteronuclear molecules, sympathetic cooling, and thus formation of two species BEC. The goal of the present investigation is to study the collisions between ultracold sodium atoms and cesium atoms. We systematically demonstrate simultaneously trapping ultracold sodium and cesium atoms in a dual-species magneto-optical trap (MOT). The sodium atom trap loss rate coefficient Na-Cs is measured as a function of Na trapping laser intensity. At low intensities, the trap loss is dominated by ground-state hyperfine-changing collisions, while at high intensities, collisions involving excited atoms are more important. A strong interspecies collision-induced loss for Na atoms in the MOT is observed. In order to obtain the trap loss coefficient Na-Cs, we proceed in two steps. First, the Cs repumping laser is blocked to avoid the formation of ultraold Cs atoms. The loading process of Na atoms is recorded when the Cs trapping laser is on. Second, the loading curves of the Na atoms are obtained as Cs atoms are present with the repumping laser beams. The total losses PNa and PNa' are acquired by fitting the two loading curves of trapped Na atoms. Thus, the trap loss coefficient Na-Cs can be derived from the difference between total losses PNa and PNa' divided by the density of the Cs atoms. The coefficient Na-Cs decreases in a range of 5-10mW/cm2, which originates from the hyperfine-state changing (HFC) collision. A Doppler model is used to calculate the Na atom trap depth, in that the atom trap depth and exoergic energy determine the behavior of the collisional trap loss rate coefficient. The three corresponding calculated critical intensities of Na trapping laser are 7.98, 14.82, 16.2 mW/cm2 respectively in the Na-Cs HFC collision process. The first calculated critical intensity value agrees well with the experimental result. Our work provides a valuable insight into HFC collision between Na and Cs atoms and also paves the way for the production of ultracold NaCs molecules using Photoassociation (PA) technology. Furthermore, the experimental results lay a great basis for the obtainments of high sensitive heteronuclear NaCs molecular PA spectrum and the creation of deeply bound ground state molecules.

Formation of deeply bound ultracold LiRb molecules via photoassociation near the Li 2S1/2+Rb 5P3/2 asymptote

We present spectra of ultracold $^{7}\mathrm{Li}^{85}\mathrm{Rb}$ molecules in their electronic ground state formed by spontaneous decay of weakly bound photoassociated molecules. Beginning with atoms in a dual-species magneto-optical trap, weakly bound molecules are formed in the 4(1) electronic state, which corresponds to the ${B}^{1}\ensuremath{\Pi}$ state at short range. These molecules spontaneously decay to the electronic ground state and we use resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization to determine the vibrational population distribution in the electronic ground states after spontaneous emission. Many of the observed lines from the spectra are consistent with transitions from the ${X}^{1}{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{+}$ ground electronic state to either the ${B}^{1}\ensuremath{\Pi}$ or the ${D}^{1}\ensuremath{\Pi}$ electronic state that has been previously observed, with levels possibly as low as ${X}^{1}{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{+}({v}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}=2)$ being populated. We do not observe decay to weakly bound vibrational levels of the ${X}^{1}{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{+}$ or ${a}^{3}{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{+}$ electronic state in the spectra. We also deduce a lower bound of $3900 \mathrm{cm}{}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ for the dissociation energy of the $\mathrm{LiRb}{}^{+}$ molecular ion.

Interspecies collision-induced losses in a dual species 7Li–85Rb magneto-optical trap

In this article, we report the measurement of collision-induced loss rate coefficients βLi, Rb and βRb, Li, and also discuss means to significantly suppress such collision-induced losses. We first describe our dual-species magneto-optical trap (MOT) that allows us to simultaneously trap ≥5 × 108 7Li atoms loaded from a Zeeman slower and ≥2 × 108 85Rb atoms loaded from a dispenser. We observe strong interspecies collision-induced losses in the MOTs which dramatically reduce the maximum atom number achievable in the MOTs. We measure the trap loss rate coefficients βLi, Rb and βRb, Li, and, from a study of their dependence on the MOT parameters, determine the cause for the losses observed. Our results provide valuable insights into ultracold collisions between 7Li and 85Rb, guide our efforts to suppress collision-induced losses, and also pave the way for the production of ultracold 7Li85Rb molecules.

Large atom number dual-species magneto-optical trap for fermionic 6Li and 40K atoms

We present the design, implementation and characterization of a dual-species magneto-optical trap (MOT) for fermionic 6Li and 40K atoms with large atom numbers. The MOT simultaneously contains 5.2 × 109 6Li-atoms and 8.0 × 109 40K-atoms, which are continuously loaded by a Zeeman slower for 6Li and a 2D-MOT for 40K. The atom sources induce capture rates of 1.2 × 109 6Li-atoms/s and 1.4 × 109 40K-atoms/s. Trap losses due to light-induced interspecies collisions of ∼65% were observed and could be minimized to ∼10% by using low magnetic field gradients and low light powers in the repumping light of both atomic species. The described system represents the starting point for the production of a large-atom number quantum degenerate Fermi-Fermi mixture.

Measurement of inelastic losses in a sample of ultracoldRb85

We report on the observation and characterisation of an inelastic loss feature in collisions between ultracold Rb-85 |F=2, m_F=-2> atoms at a magnetic field of 220 G. Our apparatus creates ultracold Rb-85 clouds by sympathetic cooling with a Rb-87 reservoir, and can produce pure Rb-87 condensates of 10^6 atoms by a combination of evaporative cooling in a quadrupole-Ioffe magnetic trap and further evaporation in a weak, large-volume optical dipole trap. By combining Rb-85 and Rb-87 atoms collected in a dual-species magneto-optical trap and selectively evaporating the heavier isotope, we demonstrate strong sympathetic cooling of the Rb-85 cloud, increasing its phase space density by three orders of magnitude with no detectable loss in number. We have used ultracold samples created in this way to observe the variation of inelastic loss in ultracold Rb-85 as a function of magnetic field near the 155 G Feshbach resonance. We have also measured a previously unobserved loss feature at 219.9(1) G with a width of 0.28(6) G, which we associate with a narrow Feshbach resonance predicted by theory.

Formation of ultracold, highly polar X1Σ+ NaCs molecules

We present photoassociation spectroscopy of ultracold NaCs molecules formed in a dual-species magneto-optical trap. Excited-state molecules are formed in states correlating to the Na(3S1/2)+Cs(6P3/2) asymptote. We assign the most prominent observed vibrational progression to the Ω=2 long range state based on a comparison with ab initio potentials. Molecules are secondarily excited before decaying to deeply bound levels of the electronic ground X1Σ+ state where they are ionized and detected by time-of-flight mass spectroscopy.

Toward the production of quantum degenerate bosonic polar molecules, 41K87Rb

We review our experimental progress toward achieving the production of quantum degenerate bosonic polar molecules, 41K87Rb. Our primary goal is to transfer quantum degenerate Feshbach molecules into the absolute ground state via the stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP). We have achieved a dual-species Bose–Einstein condensate of 41K and 87Rb in a magnetic trap, which consists of NK=1.4×104 potassium atoms and NRb=3.5×104 rubidium atoms. An optimum optical transition for STIRAP is being identified by a separate experiment based on photoassociation in a dual-species magneto-optical trap of 41K and 87Rb.

Trap loss in a dual-speciesRb−Ar*magneto-optical trap

We have investigated trap loss in a dual-species magneto-optical trap (MOT) comprised of $^{85}\mathrm{Rb}$ and metastable $^{40}\mathrm{Ar}$. We measure the trap loss rate coefficients for each species due to the presence of the other as a function of trap light intensity. We clearly identify both Penning ionization of Rb by ${\mathrm{Ar}}^{*}$ and associative ionization to form the molecular ion $\mathrm{Rb}{\mathrm{Ar}}^{+}$ as two of the trap loss channels. We have also measured the trap loss rate coefficient for the ${\mathrm{Ar}}^{*}$ MOT alone and observe production of ${\mathrm{Ar}}^{+}$ and $\mathrm{Ar}_{2}{}^{+}$ ions.

Simultaneous trapping of rubidium and metastable argon in a magneto-optical trap

We have simultaneously confined rubidium and metastable argon in a dual-species magneto-optical trap (MOT). Here a binary mixture of atomic species from different groups of the periodic table have been optically confined at ultracold temperatures. We describe the apparatus and characterize the individual, single species MOTs and the dual-species MOT. Both fluorescence and ion production are monitored. With both species trapped, we observe $\ensuremath{\sim}5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{6}$ ${}^{85}\mathrm{Rb}$ atoms and $\ensuremath{\sim}2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{6}$ ${}^{40}{\mathrm{Ar}}^{*}$ atoms. Realization of the dual-species trap opens the way for detailed studies of Penning and associative ionization, photoassociative spectroscopy, and eventually for the production of bound, ultracold RbAr molecules.