Ultracold polar molecules, with their long-range electric dipolar interactions, offer a unique platform for studying correlated quantum many-body phenomena. However, realizing a highly degenerate quantum gas of molecules with a low entropy per particle is challenging. We report the synthesis of a low-entropy quantum gas of potassium-rubidium molecules (KRb) in a three-dimensional optical lattice. We simultaneously load into the optical lattice a Mott insulator of bosonic Rb atoms and a single-band insulator of fermionic K atoms. Then, using magnetoassociation and optical state transfer, we efficiently produce ground-state molecules in the lattice at those sites that contain one Rb and one K atom. The achieved filling fraction of 25% should enable future studies of transport and entanglement propagation in a many-body system with long-range dipolar interactions.Ultracold polar molecules, with their long-range electric dipolar interactions, offer a unique platform for studying correlated quantum many-body phenomena. However, realizing a highly degenerate quantum gas of molecules with a low entropy per particle is challenging. We report the synthesis of a low-entropy quantum gas of potassium-rubidium molecules (KRb) in a three-dimensional optical lattice. We simultaneously load into the optical lattice a Mott insulator of bosonic Rb atoms and a single-band insulator of fermionic K atoms. Then, using magnetoassociation and optical state transfer, we efficiently produce ground-state molecules in the lattice at those sites that contain one Rb and one K atom. The achieved filling fraction of 25% should enable future studies of transport and entanglement propagation in a many-body system with long-range dipolar interactions.

arXiv:1507.02377ScienceNov 5, 2015205 citations

Toward the production of quantum degenerate bosonic polar molecules,41K87Rb

K. Aikawa, Daisuke Akamatsu, Jun Kobayashi +3 more

We review our experimental progress toward achieving the production of quantum degenerate bosonic polar molecules, 41 K 87 Rb. Our primary goal is to transfer quantum degenerate Feshbach molecules into the absolute ground state via the stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP). We have achieved a dual-species Bose–Einstein condensate of 41 K and 87 Rb in a magnetic trap, which consists of N K =1.4 × 10 4 potassium atoms and N Rb =3.5 × 10 4 rubidium atoms. An optimum optical transition for STIRAP is being identified by a separate experiment based on photoassociation in a dual-species magneto-optical trap of 41 K and 87 Rb.We review our experimental progress toward achieving the production of quantum degenerate bosonic polar molecules, 41 K 87 Rb. Our primary goal is to transfer quantum degenerate Feshbach molecules into the absolute ground state via the stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP). We have achieved a dual-species Bose–Einstein condensate of 41 K and 87 Rb in a magnetic trap, which consists of N K =1.4 × 10 4 potassium atoms and N Rb =3.5 × 10 4 rubidium atoms. An optimum optical transition for STIRAP is being identified by a separate experiment based on photoassociation in a dual-species magneto-optical trap of 41 K and 87 Rb.

New Journal of PhysicsMay 14, 200949 citations

Towards production of Bosonic

^{41}

^{87}

Rb molecule in a 3-dimensional optical lattice