Intensity Dependence of Photoassociation in a Quantum Degenerate Atomic Gas

Ionut D. Prodan, Marin Pichler, Mark Junker, Randall G. Hulet, and John L. Bohn
Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 080402 – Published 19 August 2003

Abstract

We have measured the intensity dependent rate and frequency shift of a photoassociation transition in a quantum degenerate gas of Li7. The rate increases linearly with photoassociation laser intensity for low intensities, whereas saturation is observed at higher intensities. The measured rates and shifts agree reasonably well with theory within the estimated systematic uncertainties. Several theoretically predicted saturation mechanisms are discussed, but a theory in which saturation arises because of quantum mechanical unitarity agrees well with the data.

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  • Received 9 July 2002

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.91.080402

©2003 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Ionut D. Prodan, Marin Pichler, Mark Junker, and Randall G. Hulet

  • Department of Physics and Astronomy and Rice Quantum Institute, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77251, USA

John L. Bohn

  • JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology and University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USA

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Issue

Vol. 91, Iss. 8 — 22 August 2003

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