Photoassociation of Sodium in a Bose-Einstein Condensate

Published

March 1, 2002

Author(s)

C R. McKenzie, J Denschlag, H Heffner, A Browaeys, L E. de Araujo, F K. Fatemi, Kevin Jones, J E. Simsarian, D Cho, A Simoni, Eite Tiesinga, Paul S. Julienne, Kristian Helmerson, Paul D. Lett, S L. Rolston, William D. Phillips

Abstract

We report on the formation of ultra-cold Na2 molecules using single-photon photoassociation of a Bose-Einstein condensate. The photoassociation rate, linewidth and light shift of the J = 1, v = 135 vibrational level of the A^1)Sigma^+_u molecular bound state have been measured. We find that the photoassociation rate constant increases linearly with the intensity even where it is predicted that many-body effects might limit the rate. Our observations are everywhere in good agreement with a two-body theory having no free parameters.

Citation

Physical Review Letters

Volume

88

Issue

No. 12

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

atomic collisions, Bose-Einstein condensation, collision dynamics, photoassociation

Citation

McKenzie, C. , Denschlag, J. , Heffner, H. , Browaeys, A. , de Araujo, L. , Fatemi, F. , Jones, K. , Simsarian, J. , Cho, D. , Simoni, A. , Tiesinga, E. , Julienne, P. , Helmerson, K. , Lett, P. , Rolston, S. and Phillips, W. (2002), Photoassociation of Sodium in a Bose-Einstein Condensate, Physical Review Letters (Accessed October 10, 2025)