Efficient production of long-lived ultracold Sr-2 molecules

Year: 2017

Authors: Ciamei A., Bayerle A., Chen C.C., Pasquiou B., Schreck F.

Autors Affiliation: Univ Amsterdam, Inst Phys, Van der Waals Zeeman Inst, Sci Pk 904, NL-1098 XH Amsterdam, Netherlands

Abstract: We associate Sr atom pairs on sites of a Mott insulator optically and coherently into weakly bound ground-state molecules, achieving an efficiency above 80%. This efficiency is 2.5 times higher than in our previous work [S. Stellmer, B. Pasquiou, R. Grimm, and F. Schreck, Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 115302 (2012)] and obtained through two improvements. First, the lifetime of the molecules is increased beyond one minute by using an optical lattice wavelength that is further detuned from molecular transitions. Second, we compensate undesired dynamic light shifts that occur during the stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) used for molecule association. We also characterize and model STIRAP, providing insights into its limitations. Our work shows that significant molecule association efficiencies can be achieved even for atomic species or mixtures that lack Feshbach resonances suitable for magnetoassociation.

Journal/Review: PHYSICAL REVIEW A

Volume: 96 (1)      Pages from: 013406-1  to: 013406-14

KeyWords: POPULATION TRANSFER; ADIABATIC-PASSAGE; ATOMS; GAS
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.96.013406

Citations: 28
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