We compute the scattering properties of rubidium atoms at ultracold temperatures, placing special emphasis on the radioactive isotopes ${}^{82}\mathrm{Rb}{,}^{83}\mathrm{Rb}{,}^{84}\mathrm{Rb},$ and ${}^{86}\mathrm{Rb}.$ In combination with the more ``conventional'' isotope ${}^{87}\mathrm{Rb},$ these species yield a wide variety of scattering behavior, with consequences for creating mixtures of Fermi-Fermi, Fermi-Bose, and Bose-Bose gases. In each of these mixtures we find at least one case where the interspecies scattering lengths can be tuned using an external magnetic field. These results should greatly broaden the prospects for quantum degenerate gases in future experiments.We compute the scattering properties of rubidium atoms at ultracold temperatures, placing special emphasis on the radioactive isotopes ${}^{82}\mathrm{Rb}{,}^{83}\mathrm{Rb}{,}^{84}\mathrm{Rb},$ and ${}^{86}\mathrm{Rb}.$ In combination with the more ``conventional'' isotope ${}^{87}\mathrm{Rb},$ these species yield a wide variety of scattering behavior, with consequences for creating mixtures of Fermi-Fermi, Fermi-Bose, and Bose-Bose gases. In each of these mixtures we find at least one case where the interspecies scattering lengths can be tuned using an external magnetic field. These results should greatly broaden the prospects for quantum degenerate gases in future experiments.

Physical Review AFeb 1, 199953 citations

Feshbach-molecule formation in a Bose-Fermi mixture

Tyler D. Cumby, Ruth Shewmon, Ming-Guang Hu +2 more

We investigate magnetoassociation of ultracold fermionic Feshbach molecules in a mixture of ${}^{40}$ K and ${}^{87}$ Rb atoms, where we can create ${}^{40}$ K ${}^{87}$ Rb molecules with a conversion efficiency as high as 45%. In the limit of fast magnetic sweeps and small molecule fraction, we find that the time scale of molecule production is accurately predicted by a parameter-free model that uses only the atomic densities, masses, and the known Feshbach resonance parameters. We find that molecule production efficiency saturates for slower magnetic sweeps, at which point the maximum number of Feshbach molecules depends primarily on the atoms' phase-space density. At higher temperatures, our measurements agree with a phenomenological model that successfully describes the formation of bosonic molecules from either Bose or Fermi gases. However, for quantum degenerate atom gas mixtures, we measure significantly fewer molecules than this model predicts.We investigate magnetoassociation of ultracold fermionic Feshbach molecules in a mixture of ${}^{40}$K and ${}^{87}$Rb atoms, where we can create ${}^{40}$K${}^{87}$Rb molecules with a conversion efficiency as high as 45%. In the limit of fast magnetic sweeps and small molecule fraction, we find that the time scale of molecule production is accurately predicted by a parameter-free model that uses only the atomic densities, masses, and the known Feshbach resonance parameters. We find that molecule production efficiency saturates for slower magnetic sweeps, at which point the maximum number of Feshbach molecules depends primarily on the atoms' phase-space density. At higher temperatures, our measurements agree with a phenomenological model that successfully describes the formation of bosonic molecules from either Bose or Fermi gases. However, for quantum degenerate atom gas mixtures, we measure significantly fewer molecules than this model predicts.

arXiv:1212.0903Physical Review AJan 7, 201335 citations

Scattering at Ultracold Temperature: from Statistics to Dimensionality

Chen Zhang

In this dissertation, we study the few-body ultracold Bose-Fermi mixture and quasi-1D scattering at ultracold temperature. Degenerate quantum gases have attracted enormous attentions during the past two decades. They have opened new platforms of quantum simulation, precision measurement and quantum chemistry. The scattering properties of degenerate quantum gases are the first things to study in order to gain insight into various novel phenomena at ultracold temperatures.\nTo address the role of quantum statistics at ultracold temperature, we study the spectrum and dynamics of a few-body Bose-Fermi mixtures. In particular, we focus the dynamical evolution of a few-body Bose-Fermi mixture and concentrate on its universal behavior at large inter-particle scattering length. We predict the molecule formation efficiency in many-body Bose-Fermi mixtures by mapping this critical observable in few-body calculations. We also propose that a the quantum beat experiment could be used to measure the energy of the lowest Efimov trimer at unitarity.\nTo address the role of dimensionality, we study confinement induced resonances and similar phenomena in general transverse confining potentials. Well-separated energy scales in different dimensions allow the creation of reduced dimensional systems at ultracold temperatures. We develop a general framework to regularize the low-energy quasi-1D scattering phase shift associated with a zero range interaction.\nLastly, we discuss future prospects for the study of an ultracold Bose-Fermi mixture, and scattering in reduced dimensional systems of a more general topology.In this dissertation, we study the few-body ultracold Bose-Fermi mixture and quasi-1D scattering at ultracold temperature. Degenerate quantum gases have attracted enormous attentions during the past two decades. They have opened new platforms of quantum simulation, precision measurement and quantum chemistry. The scattering properties of degenerate quantum gases are the first things to study in order to gain insight into various novel phenomena at ultracold temperatures.\nTo address the role of quantum statistics at ultracold temperature, we study the spectrum and dynamics of a few-body Bose-Fermi mixtures. In particular, we focus the dynamical evolution of a few-body Bose-Fermi mixture and concentrate on its universal behavior at large inter-particle scattering length. We predict the molecule formation efficiency in many-body Bose-Fermi mixtures by mapping this critical observable in few-body calculations. We also propose that a the quantum beat experiment could be used to measure the energy of the lowest Efimov trimer at unitarity.\nTo address the role of dimensionality, we study confinement induced resonances and similar phenomena in general transverse confining potentials. Well-separated energy scales in different dimensions allow the creation of reduced dimensional systems at ultracold temperatures. We develop a general framework to regularize the low-energy quasi-1D scattering phase shift associated with a zero range interaction.\nLastly, we discuss future prospects for the study of an ultracold Bose-Fermi mixture, and scattering in reduced dimensional systems of a more general topology.

Jan 1, 20140 citations

We compute the scattering properties of rubidium atoms at ultracold temperatures, placing special emphasis on the radioactive isotopes

{}^{82}\mathrm{Rb}{,}^{83}\mathrm{Rb}{,}^{84}\mathrm{Rb},

and

{}^{86}\mathrm{Rb}.

In combination with the more ``conventional'' isotope

{}^{87}\mathrm{Rb},

these species yield a wide variety of scattering behavior, with consequences for creating mixtures of Fermi-Fermi, Fermi-Bose, and Bose-Bose gases. In each of these mixtures we find at least one case where the interspecies scattering lengths can be tuned using an external magnetic field. These results should greatly broaden the prospects for quantum degenerate gases in future experiments.

We investigate magnetoassociation of ultracold fermionic Feshbach molecules in a mixture of

{}^{40}

K and

{}^{87}

Rb atoms, where we can create

{}^{40}

{}^{87}

Rb molecules with a conversion efficiency as high as 45%. In the limit of fast magnetic sweeps and small molecule fraction, we find that the time scale of molecule production is accurately predicted by a parameter-free model that uses only the atomic densities, masses, and the known Feshbach resonance parameters. We find that molecule production efficiency saturates for slower magnetic sweeps, at which point the maximum number of Feshbach molecules depends primarily on the atoms' phase-space density. At higher temperatures, our measurements agree with a phenomenological model that successfully describes the formation of bosonic molecules from either Bose or Fermi gases. However, for quantum degenerate atom gas mixtures, we measure significantly fewer molecules than this model predicts.