We report on measurements of the binding energies of several weakly bound vibrational states of the paramagnetic $^{174}\mathrm{Yb}^{6}\mathrm{Li}$ molecule in the electronic ground state using two-photon spectroscopy in an ultracold atomic mixture confined in an optical dipole trap. We theoretically analyze the experimental spectrum to obtain an accurate description of the long-range potential of the ground-state molecule. Based on the measured binding energies, we arrive at an improved value of the interspecies $s$ -wave scattering length ${a}_{s0}=30\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}{a}_{0}$ . Employing coherent two-photon spectroscopy we also observe the creation of ``dark'' atom-molecule superposition states in the heteronuclear Yb-Li system. This paper is an important step towards the efficient production of ultracold YbLi molecules via association from an ultracold atomic mixture.We report on measurements of the binding energies of several weakly bound vibrational states of the paramagnetic $^{174}\mathrm{Yb}^{6}\mathrm{Li}$ molecule in the electronic ground state using two-photon spectroscopy in an ultracold atomic mixture confined in an optical dipole trap. We theoretically analyze the experimental spectrum to obtain an accurate description of the long-range potential of the ground-state molecule. Based on the measured binding energies, we arrive at an improved value of the interspecies $s$-wave scattering length ${a}_{s0}=30\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}{a}_{0}$. Employing coherent two-photon spectroscopy we also observe the creation of ``dark'' atom-molecule superposition states in the heteronuclear Yb-Li system. This paper is an important step towards the efficient production of ultracold YbLi molecules via association from an ultracold atomic mixture.

arXiv:1903.00603Physical Review AJun 17, 201916 citations

Two-photon photoassociation spectroscopy of an ultracold heteronuclear molecule

Sourav Dutta, Jesús Pérez‐Ríos, Daniel S. Elliott +1 more

We report on two-photon photoassociation (PA) spectroscopy of ultracold heteronuclear LiRb molecules. This is used to determine the binding energies of the loosely bound levels of the electronic ground singlet and the lowest triplet states of LiRb. We observe strong two-photon PA lines with power broadened linewidths greater than 20 GHz at relatively low laser intensity of $30\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{W}/\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{2}$ . The implication of this observation on direct atom to molecule conversion using stimulated Raman adiabatic passage is discussed and the prospect for electronic ground-state molecule production is theoretically analyzed.We report on two-photon photoassociation (PA) spectroscopy of ultracold heteronuclear LiRb molecules. This is used to determine the binding energies of the loosely bound levels of the electronic ground singlet and the lowest triplet states of LiRb. We observe strong two-photon PA lines with power broadened linewidths greater than 20 GHz at relatively low laser intensity of $30\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{W}/\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{2}$. The implication of this observation on direct atom to molecule conversion using stimulated Raman adiabatic passage is discussed and the prospect for electronic ground-state molecule production is theoretically analyzed.

arXiv:1701.00589Physical Review AJan 18, 201713 citations

Two-photon excitation in atoms and molecules

Richard E. Wallenstein

Optics CommunicationsJul 1, 197612 citations

We report on measurements of the binding energies of several weakly bound vibrational states of the paramagnetic

^{174}\mathrm{Yb}^{6}\mathrm{Li}

molecule in the electronic ground state using two-photon spectroscopy in an ultracold atomic mixture confined in an optical dipole trap. We theoretically analyze the experimental spectrum to obtain an accurate description of the long-range potential of the ground-state molecule. Based on the measured binding energies, we arrive at an improved value of the interspecies

s

-wave scattering length

{a}_{s0}=30\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}{a}_{0}

. Employing coherent two-photon spectroscopy we also observe the creation of ``dark'' atom-molecule superposition states in the heteronuclear Yb-Li system. This paper is an important step towards the efficient production of ultracold YbLi molecules via association from an ultracold atomic mixture.

30\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{W}/\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{2}

. The implication of this observation on direct atom to molecule conversion using stimulated Raman adiabatic passage is discussed and the prospect for electronic ground-state molecule production is theoretically analyzed.