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Making Cold Molecules by Time-Dependent Feshbach Resonances

Published

Author(s)

Paul S. Julienne, Eite Tiesinga, T Kohler

Abstract

Pairs of trapped atoms can be associated to make a diatomic molecule using a time dependentMagnetic field to ramp the energy of a scattering resonance state from above to below the scatteringthreshold. A relatively simple model, parameterized in terms of the background scattering lengthand resonance width and magnetic moment, can be used to predict conversion probabilities fromatoms to molecules. The model and its Landau-Zener interpretation are described and illustrated by specific calculations for 23Na, 87Rb, and 133Cs resonances. The model can be readily adapted to Bose-Einstein condensates. Comparison with full many-body calculations for the condensate case show that the model is very useful for estimating molecule formation probabilities but the modelfails to predict the presence of bursts of hot atoms that may accompany molecule formation.
Citation
Journal of Modern Optics
Volume
51
Issue
No 12

Keywords

atom trap, Bose-Einstein condensate, cold molecules, feshbach resonance, magnetic field

Citation

Julienne, P. , Tiesinga, E. and Kohler, T. (2004), Making Cold Molecules by Time-Dependent Feshbach Resonances, Journal of Modern Optics (Accessed April 24, 2024)
Created August 1, 2004, Updated February 17, 2017