Photoassociation(PA)of cold atoms is a key tool widely used for accurate determination of long-range molecular potentials,measurement and tuning of interatomic interactions,as well as creation of desired cold molecule...Photoassociation(PA)of cold atoms is a key tool widely used for accurate determination of long-range molecular potentials,measurement and tuning of interatomic interactions,as well as creation of desired cold molecules.We report the observation of PA spectra of ultracold ytterbium(Yb)atoms at the ^(1)S_(0)–^(3)P_(1) inter-combination line by detecting the resonant loss of atoms trapped in a crossed far-off-resonance trap(crossed-FORT).Eight vibrational levels in the ^(1)0^(+)_(u) molecular state are observed for PA laser detunings up to 1 GHz with respect to the atomic resonance.The photoassociation resonances have a Lorentzian shape and sub-MHz linewidths due to the ultra low temperature of the atoms,and the resonance positions agree well with that predicted by the semiclassical formula.展开更多
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos 11274349,11204353 and 61227805the National Key Basic Research Program of China under Grant No 2011CB921503.
文摘Photoassociation(PA)of cold atoms is a key tool widely used for accurate determination of long-range molecular potentials,measurement and tuning of interatomic interactions,as well as creation of desired cold molecules.We report the observation of PA spectra of ultracold ytterbium(Yb)atoms at the ^(1)S_(0)–^(3)P_(1) inter-combination line by detecting the resonant loss of atoms trapped in a crossed far-off-resonance trap(crossed-FORT).Eight vibrational levels in the ^(1)0^(+)_(u) molecular state are observed for PA laser detunings up to 1 GHz with respect to the atomic resonance.The photoassociation resonances have a Lorentzian shape and sub-MHz linewidths due to the ultra low temperature of the atoms,and the resonance positions agree well with that predicted by the semiclassical formula.
