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Physical Review A

Observation of hyperfine interaction in photoassociation spectra of ultracold RbYb

Cristian Bruni, Axel Görlitz

Published Aug 3, 2016• 15 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We report on the creation of ultracold heteronuclear and electronically excited Rb*Yb molecules in a hybrid conservative trap by photoassociation of ultracold $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ and $^{176}\mathrm{Yb}$. The molecules are formed below the ${\mathrm{Rb}}_{5\mathit{p}1}(^{2}P_{1/2})+{\mathrm{Yb}}_{6\mathit{s}2}(^{1}S_{0})$ dissociation limit and the resonances are detected using trap-loss spectroscopy. By addressing vibrational levels with binding energies down to ${E}_{B}=\ensuremath{-}h\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2.2\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{THz}$, we study the change in hyperfine coupling of the diatomic molecule as a function of internuclear separation. We observe a decreasing hyperfine splitting for more tightly bound excited molecular states where the hyperfine splitting is reduced by more than $30%$ compared to the atomic value for $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.94.022503

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Ultracold metastable RbCs molecules are observed in a double species magneto-optical trap through photoassociation near the Rb(5S(1/2)) + Cs(6P(3/2)) dissociation limit followed by radiative stabilization. The molecules are formed in their lowest triplet electronic state and are detected by resonance enhanced two-photon ionization through the previously unobserved (3)(3)Π ← a (3)Σ(+) band. The large rotational structure of the observed photoassociation lines is assigned to the lowest vibrational levels of the 0(+) or 0(-) excited states correlated to the Rb(5P(1/2)) + Cs(6S(1/2)) dissociation limit. This demonstrates the possibility of inducing direct photoassociation in heteronuclear alkali-metal molecules at a short internuclear distance, as pointed out earlier [J. Deiglmayr et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 2008, 101, 13304].

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We report on the creation of ultracold heteronuclear and electronically excited Rb*Yb molecules in a hybrid conservative trap by photoassociation of ultracold 87Rb^{87}\mathrm{Rb}87Rb and 176Yb^{176}\mathrm{Yb}176Yb. The molecules are formed below the Rb5p1(2P1/2)+Yb6s2(1S0){\mathrm{Rb}}_{5\mathit{p}1}(^{2}P_{1/2})+{\mathrm{Yb}}_{6\mathit{s}2}(^{1}S_{0})Rb5p1​(2P1/2​)+Yb6s2​(1S0​) dissociation limit and the resonances are detected using trap-loss spectroscopy. By addressing vibrational levels with binding energies down to EB=\ensuremath−h\ifmmode×\else\texttimes\fi2.2THz{E}_{B}=\ensuremath{-}h\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2.2\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{THz}EB​=\ensuremath−h\ifmmode×\else\texttimes\fi2.2THz, we study the change in hyperfine coupling of the diatomic molecule as a function of internuclear separation. We observe a decreasing hyperfine splitting for more tightly bound excited molecular states where the hyperfine splitting is reduced by more than 3030%30 compared to the atomic value for 87Rb^{87}\mathrm{Rb}87Rb.
We report the production of ultracold heteronuclear Cs∗Yb{\mathrm{Cs}}^{*}\mathrm{Yb}Cs∗Yb molecules through one-photon photoassociation applied to an ultracold atomic mixture of Cs and Yb confined in an optical dipole trap. We use trap-loss spectroscopy to detect molecular states below the Cs(2P1/2)+Yb(1S0)\mathrm{Cs}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}(^{2}P_{1/2})+\mathrm{Yb}(^{1}S_{0})Cs(2P1/2​)+Yb(1S0​) asymptote. For 133Cs174Yb^{133}\mathrm{Cs}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{174}\mathrm{Yb}133Cs174Yb, we observe 13 rovibrational states with binding energies up to $\ensuremath{\sim}500\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GHz}$. For each rovibrational state we observe two resonances associated with the Cs hyperfine structure and show that the hyperfine splitting in the diatomic molecule decreases for more deeply bound states. In addition, we produce ultracold fermionic 133Cs173Yb^{133}\mathrm{Cs}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{173}\mathrm{Yb}133Cs173Yb and bosonic 133Cs172Yb^{133}\mathrm{Cs}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{172}\mathrm{Yb}133Cs172Yb and 133Cs170Yb^{133}\mathrm{Cs}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{170}\mathrm{Yb}133Cs170Yb molecules. From mass scaling, we determine the number of vibrational levels supported by the 2(1/2) excited-state potential to be 154 or 155.
Within the scope of this thesis, the production of ultracold molecules at a temperature of a few µK with various isotopes of rubidium (Rb) and ytterbium (Yb) was examined by means of photoassociation spectroscopy and magnetic Feshbach resonances in combined conservative traps. The long-term goal of this experiment is the production of ultracold RbYb molecules in the rovibronic ground state. It was possible to produce electronically excited ^{87}Rb ^{176}Yb molecules in a novel hybrid trap (HT) at a combined temperature of 1.7 µK by means of 1-photon photoassociation close to the Rb D1 line at 795 nm. This HT takes advantage of the different magnetic properties of Rb and Yb and allows for independent trapping and manipulation of the atomic species. It combines an Ioffe-Pritchard type magnetic trap for Rb and a near-resonant optical dipole trap for Yb. The excited molecular ^2 Pi_1/2 state could be characterized further extending previous works in a combined MOT and vibrational levels reaching binding energies up to E_b=-h x 2.2 THz could be assigned by trap-loss spectroscopy. Almost every detected vibrational state consists of two resonances that could be assigned to the molecular analogue of the hyperfine structure of ^{87}Rb. An important experimental observation is a decrease in hyperfine splitting with increasing binding energy of a vibrational level. For the deepest found vibrational state the hyperfine splitting amounts only 70 % of the atomic value (817 MHz) which emphasizes a gradual passage from weakly to tightly bound molecules. Furthermore, detailed attempts were undertaken to induce magnetic Feshbach resonances in ^{85}Rb and different Yb isotopes, especially ^{171}Yb in a crossed optical dipole trap at 1064 nm at temperatures of 10 µK. For this purpose, a homogeneous magnetic field was applied and scanned in small steps over the range of 495 G... 640 G. Unfortunately, our efforts were without success. Additionally, well known as well as not yet reported Rb_2 Feshbach resonances in ^{85}Rb and ^{87}Rb were detected. These resonances allowed for a detailed analysis of the typical behaviour of Feshbach resonances. The first experimental realization of photoassociation spectroscopy in a conservative is also a major step towards the ultimate project goal of producing ultracold RbYb molecules in the electronic ground state. A spatial confinement, which is in principle possible in the HT, is a prerequisite for transferring the molecules to the rovibronic ground state, e.g. with the help of a STIRAP process.
We have produced ultracold heteronuclear ${\text{YbRb}}^{\ensuremath{\ast}}$ molecules in a combined magneto-optical trap by photoassociation. The formation of electronically excited molecules close to the dissociation limit was observed by the trap loss spectroscopy in mixtures of 87Rb^{87}\text{R}\text{b}87Rb with 174Yb^{174}\text{Y}\text{b}174Yb and 176Yb^{176}\text{Y}\text{b}176Yb. The molecules could be prepared in well-defined rovibrational levels, allowing for an experimental determination of the long-range potential in the electronically excited state.
The formation of ultracold metastable RbCs molecules is observed in a double species magneto-optical trap through photoassociation below the 85 Rb(5S 1/2 ) + 133 Cs(6P 3/2 ) dissociation limit followed by spontaneous emission. The molecules are detected by resonance enhanced two-photon ionization. Using accurate quantum chemistry calculations of the potential energy curves and transition dipole moment, we interpret the observed photoassociation process as occurring at short internuclear distance, in contrast with most previous cold atom photoassociation studies. The vibrational levels excited by photoassociation belong to the 5th 0 + or the 4th 0 − electronic states correlated to the Rb(5P 1/2, 3/2 ) + Cs(6S 1/2 ) dissociation limit. The computed vibrational distribution of the produced molecules shows that they are stabilized in deeply bound vibrational states of the lowest triplet state. We also predict that a noticeable fraction of molecules is produced in the lowest level of the electronic ground state.
We report on the production of ultracold heteronuclear YbLi* molecules in a dual-species magneto-optical trap by photoassociation (PA). The formation of the electronically excited molecules close to dissociation was observed by trap loss spectroscopy. We find 4 rovibrational states within a range of 250GHz250\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GHz}250GHz below the Yb(1S0)+Li(2P1/2)\mathrm{Yb}(^{1}S_{0})+\mathrm{Li}(^{2}P_{1/2})Yb(1S0​)+Li(2P1/2​) asymptote and observe isotopic PA line shifts in mixtures of 6Li^{6}\mathrm{Li}6Li with 174Yb^{174}\mathrm{Yb}174Yb, 172Yb^{172}\mathrm{Yb}172Yb, and 176Yb^{176}\mathrm{Yb}176Yb. We also describe our theoretical ab initio calculation for the relevant electronic potentials and utilize it to analyze and identify the lines in the experimentally observed spectrum.
Ultracold metastable RbCs molecules are observed in a double species magneto-optical trap through photoassociation near the Rb(5S(1/2)) + Cs(6P(3/2)) dissociation limit followed by radiative stabilization. The molecules are formed in their lowest triplet electronic state and are detected by resonance enhanced two-photon ionization through the previously unobserved (3)(3)Π ← a (3)Σ(+) band. The large rotational structure of the observed photoassociation lines is assigned to the lowest vibrational levels of the 0(+) or 0(-) excited states correlated to the Rb(5P(1/2)) + Cs(6S(1/2)) dissociation limit. This demonstrates the possibility of inducing direct photoassociation in heteronuclear alkali-metal molecules at a short internuclear distance, as pointed out earlier [J. Deiglmayr et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 2008, 101, 13304].