This thesis reports on a novel scheme for controlling the scattering properties of an ultracold atomic gas with laser light. We show theoretically and experimentally that light near-resonant with a molecular bound-to-bound transition can be used to shift the magnetic field at which a magnetic Feshbach resonance occurs. This makes it possible to tune the interaction strength with laser light and at the same time induce considerably less loss than an optical Feshbach resonance would do. To find an appropriate bound-to-bound transition for this scheme, we perform excited-state spectroscopy. When applying laser light resonant with one such bound-to-bound transition we observe an Autler-Townes splitting of the magnetic Feshbach resonance. We find good agreement between the theoretical model and experimental data. Our scheme can be used for a variety of future applications. For example, light patterns created by holographic masks could serve as a tool for changing the scattering length of ultracold atoms on very short time and length scales.This thesis reports on a novel scheme for controlling the scattering properties of an ultracold atomic gas with laser light. We show theoretically and experimentally that light near-resonant with a molecular bound-to-bound transition can be used to shift the magnetic field at which a magnetic Feshbach resonance occurs. This makes it possible to tune the interaction strength with laser light and at the same time induce considerably less loss than an optical Feshbach resonance would do. To find an appropriate bound-to-bound transition for this scheme, we perform excited-state spectroscopy. When applying laser light resonant with one such bound-to-bound transition we observe an Autler-Townes splitting of the magnetic Feshbach resonance. We find good agreement between the theoretical model and experimental data. Our scheme can be used for a variety of future applications. For example, light patterns created by holographic masks could serve as a tool for changing the scattering length of ultracold atoms on very short time and length scales.

Jan 1, 20091 citation

Optical control of a magnetic Feshbach resonance in an ultracold Fermi gas

Zhengkun Fu, Pengjun Wang, Lianghui Huang +3 more

We use laser light near resonant with a molecular bound-to-bound transition to control a magnetic Feshbach resonance in ultracold Fermi gases of ${}^{40}$ K atoms. The spectrum of excited molecular states is measured by applying a laser field that couples the ground Feshbach molecular state to electronically excited molecular states. Nine strong bound-to-bound resonances are observed below the ${}^{2}{P}_{1/2}+{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{S}_{1/2}$ threshold. We use radio-frequency spectroscopy to characterize the laser-dressed bound state near a specific bound-to-bound resonance and show clearly the shift of the magnetic Feshbach resonance using light. The demonstrated technology could be used to modify interatomic interactions with high spatial and temporal resolutions in the crossover regime from a Bose-Einstein condensate to a Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer superfluid.We use laser light near resonant with a molecular bound-to-bound transition to control a magnetic Feshbach resonance in ultracold Fermi gases of ${}^{40}$K atoms. The spectrum of excited molecular states is measured by applying a laser field that couples the ground Feshbach molecular state to electronically excited molecular states. Nine strong bound-to-bound resonances are observed below the ${}^{2}{P}_{1/2}+{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{S}_{1/2}$ threshold. We use radio-frequency spectroscopy to characterize the laser-dressed bound state near a specific bound-to-bound resonance and show clearly the shift of the magnetic Feshbach resonance using light. The demonstrated technology could be used to modify interatomic interactions with high spatial and temporal resolutions in the crossover regime from a Bose-Einstein condensate to a Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer superfluid.

arXiv:1306.0395Physical Review AOct 9, 201336 citations

Tuning a magnetic Feshbach resonance with spatially modulated laser light

Yi‐Cai Zhang, Wu-Ming Liu, Hui Hu

We theoretically investigate the control of a magnetic Feshbach resonance using a bound-to-bound molecular transition driven by spatially modulated laser light. Due to the spatially periodic coupling between the ground and excited molecular states, there exists a band structure of bound states, which can uniquely be characterized by some extra bumps in radio-frequency spectroscopy. With the increasing of coupling strength, the series of bound states will cross zero energy and directly result in a number of scattering resonances, whose position and width can be conveniently tuned by the coupling strength of the laser light and the applied magnetic field (i.e., the detuning of the ground molecular state). In the presence of the modulated laser light, universal two-body bound states near zero-energy threshold still exist. However, compared with the case without modulation, the regime for such universal states is usually small. A unified formula, which embodies the influence of the modulated coupling on the resonance width is given. The spatially modulated coupling also implies a local spatially varying interaction between atoms. Our work proposes a practical way of optically controlling interatomic interactions with high spatial resolution and negligible atomic loss.We theoretically investigate the control of a magnetic Feshbach resonance using a bound-to-bound molecular transition driven by spatially modulated laser light. Due to the spatially periodic coupling between the ground and excited molecular states, there exists a band structure of bound states, which can uniquely be characterized by some extra bumps in radio-frequency spectroscopy. With the increasing of coupling strength, the series of bound states will cross zero energy and directly result in a number of scattering resonances, whose position and width can be conveniently tuned by the coupling strength of the laser light and the applied magnetic field (i.e., the detuning of the ground molecular state). In the presence of the modulated laser light, universal two-body bound states near zero-energy threshold still exist. However, compared with the case without modulation, the regime for such universal states is usually small. A unified formula, which embodies the influence of the modulated coupling on the resonance width is given. The spatially modulated coupling also implies a local spatially varying interaction between atoms. Our work proposes a practical way of optically controlling interatomic interactions with high spatial resolution and negligible atomic loss.

arXiv:1404.6622Physical Review ANov 25, 20149 citations

We use laser light near resonant with a molecular bound-to-bound transition to control a magnetic Feshbach resonance in ultracold Fermi gases of

{}^{40}

K atoms. The spectrum of excited molecular states is measured by applying a laser field that couples the ground Feshbach molecular state to electronically excited molecular states. Nine strong bound-to-bound resonances are observed below the

{}^{2}{P}_{1/2}+{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{S}_{1/2}

threshold. We use radio-frequency spectroscopy to characterize the laser-dressed bound state near a specific bound-to-bound resonance and show clearly the shift of the magnetic Feshbach resonance using light. The demonstrated technology could be used to modify interatomic interactions with high spatial and temporal resolutions in the crossover regime from a Bose-Einstein condensate to a Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer superfluid.