Abstract
We observed high-resolution photoassociation spectra of laser-cooled ytterbium (Yb) atoms in the spin-forbidden intercombination line. The rovibrational levels in the state were measured for red detunings of the photoassociation laser ranging from 2.9 MHz to 1.97 GHz with respect to the atomic resonance. The rotational splitting of the vibrational levels near the dissociation limit were fully resolved due to the sub-MHz linewidth of the spectra in contrast to previous measurements using the spin-allowed singlet transition. In addition, from a comparison between the spectra of and those of , a -wave shape resonance for is strongly suggested.
- Received 17 October 2005
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.153201
©2006 American Physical Society