We study the collisions of doubly spin-polarized ${}^{85}\mathrm{Rb}$ atoms at millikelvin temperatures using photoassociation spectroscopy. Because the atoms are spin polarized, only triplet collisional states are formed. This leads to photoassociation spectra of a particularly simple form, which provide a very direct probe of the ground state collision. These spectra are analyzed to yield the ground state triplet scattering length ${\ensuremath{-}1000a}_{0}<{a}_{T}<{\ensuremath{-}60a}_{0}$ for ${}^{85}\mathrm{Rb}$ , ${+85a}_{0}<{a}_{T}<{+140a}_{0}$ for ${}^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ , and the product of the $D$ -line dipole matrix elements $d({P}_{1/2})d({P}_{3/2})\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}8.75\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.25$ a.u.We study the collisions of doubly spin-polarized ${}^{85}\mathrm{Rb}$ atoms at millikelvin temperatures using photoassociation spectroscopy. Because the atoms are spin polarized, only triplet collisional states are formed. This leads to photoassociation spectra of a particularly simple form, which provide a very direct probe of the ground state collision. These spectra are analyzed to yield the ground state triplet scattering length ${\ensuremath{-}1000a}_{0}<{a}_{T}<{\ensuremath{-}60a}_{0}$ for ${}^{85}\mathrm{Rb}$, ${+85a}_{0}<{a}_{T}<{+140a}_{0}$ for ${}^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$, and the product of the $D$-line dipole matrix elements $d({P}_{1/2})d({P}_{3/2})\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}8.75\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.25$ a.u.

Physical Review LettersMay 8, 1995134 citations

Ultracold collisions of rubidium: isotopic differences

Christopher D. Wallace, T. Dinneen, K. Y. N. Tan +2 more

Quantum Electronics and Laser Science ConferenceMay 2, 19930 citations

Production of highly spin-polarized atomic hydrogen and deuterium by spin-exchange optical pumping

S. G. Redsun, R. J. Knize, G. D. Cates +1 more

We have produced highly spin-polarized atomic hydrogen by spin-exchange optical pumping. A tunable ring dye laser is used to polarize rubidium atoms by optical pumping. The cell containing the rubidium vapor is coated with paraffin in order to reduce spin relaxation due to wall collisions. Hydrogen gas is dissociated in an inductive discharge and flows continuously through the cell, in which the hydrogen atoms are polarized by spin-exchange collisions with the polarized rubidium atoms. Atomic-hydrogen polarization as high as 2〈 ${\mathit{J}}_{\mathit{z}}$ ${\mathrm{〉}}_{\mathrm{H}}$ =0.72(6) has been observed, which is the highest polarization yet produced by this method. However, the rubidium polarization may be limited to this value due to radiation trapping at higher rubidium densities. The spin-relaxation rate of atomic hydrogen on a paraffin-coated cell is also measured and corresponds to about 7600 wall bounces between wall relaxation.We have produced highly spin-polarized atomic hydrogen by spin-exchange optical pumping. A tunable ring dye laser is used to polarize rubidium atoms by optical pumping. The cell containing the rubidium vapor is coated with paraffin in order to reduce spin relaxation due to wall collisions. Hydrogen gas is dissociated in an inductive discharge and flows continuously through the cell, in which the hydrogen atoms are polarized by spin-exchange collisions with the polarized rubidium atoms. Atomic-hydrogen polarization as high as 2〈${\mathit{J}}_{\mathit{z}}$${\mathrm{〉}}_{\mathrm{H}}$=0.72(6) has been observed, which is the highest polarization yet produced by this method. However, the rubidium polarization may be limited to this value due to radiation trapping at higher rubidium densities. The spin-relaxation rate of atomic hydrogen on a paraffin-coated cell is also measured and corresponds to about 7600 wall bounces between wall relaxation.

Physical Review AAug 1, 199035 citations

We study the collisions of doubly spin-polarized

{}^{85}\mathrm{Rb}

atoms at millikelvin temperatures using photoassociation spectroscopy. Because the atoms are spin polarized, only triplet collisional states are formed. This leads to photoassociation spectra of a particularly simple form, which provide a very direct probe of the ground state collision. These spectra are analyzed to yield the ground state triplet scattering length ${\ensuremath{-}1000a}_{0}<{a}_{T}<{\ensuremath{-}60a}_{0}$ for

{}^{85}\mathrm{Rb}

{+85a}_{0}<{a}_{T}<{+140a}_{0}

for

{}^{87}\mathrm{Rb}

, and the product of the

D

-line dipole matrix elements $d({P}_{1/2})d({P}_{3/2})\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}8.75\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.25$ a.u.

{\mathit{J}}_{\mathit{z}}

{\mathrm{〉}}_{\mathrm{H}}

=0.72(6) has been observed, which is the highest polarization yet produced by this method. However, the rubidium polarization may be limited to this value due to radiation trapping at higher rubidium densities. The spin-relaxation rate of atomic hydrogen on a paraffin-coated cell is also measured and corresponds to about 7600 wall bounces between wall relaxation.