Binding energies of ${}^6\text{L}\text{i}$ $p$-wave Feshbach molecules

We present measurements of the binding energies of ${}^6\text{L}\text{i}$ $p$-wave Feshbach molecules formed in combinations of the $|F=1/2,m_F=+1/2⟩$ $\left(|1⟩\right)$ and $|F=1/2,m_F=-1/2⟩$ $\left(|2⟩\right)$ states. The binding energies scale linearly with magnetic field detuning for all three resonances. The relative molecular magnetic moments are found to be $113\pm 7\mu \text{K}/\text{G}$, $111\pm 6\mu \text{K}/\text{G}$, and $118\pm 8\mu \text{K}/\text{G}$ for the $|1⟩\text{−}|1⟩$, $|1⟩\text{−}|2⟩$, and $|2⟩\text{−}|2⟩$ resonances, respectively, in good agreement with theoretical predictions. Closed-channel amplitudes and the size of the $p$-wave molecules are obtained theoretically from full closed-coupled calculations.

Figure 1

(Color online) Atom loss at the $|1⟩\text{−}|1⟩$ ${}^6\text{L}\text{i}$ $p$-wave Feshbach resonance versus magnetic field detuning $\delta B=B_{\text{test}}-B_0$ $\left(B_0=159\text{G}\right)$. The number of atoms remaining after 60 ms hold time was measured via absorption imaging. Each point is the average of six images.

Figure 2

(Color online) Magneto-association spectrum for the $|2⟩\text{−}|2⟩$ $p$-wave Feshbach resonance in ${}^6\text{L}\text{i}$ at ${\nu }_{\text{mod}}=650\text{kHz}$. The central loss feature is due to three-body recombination on resonance while the loss features to the left-hand and right-hand sides are due to resonant magneto-association of bound and quasibound Feshbach molecules, respectively.

Figure 3

(Color online) Binding energies of $p$-wave Feshbach molecules formed near the (a) $|1⟩\text{−}|1⟩$, (b) $|1⟩\text{−}|2⟩$, and (c) $|2⟩\text{−}|2⟩$ resonances. All vertical (horizontal) axes are in units of $\mu \text{K}/\text{G}$. Linear fits to these data yield gradients of (a) $113\pm 7\mu \text{K}/\text{G}$, (b) $111\pm 6\mu \text{K}/\text{G}$, and (c) $118\pm 8\mu \text{K}/\text{G}$.

Figure 4

(Color online) Measured magneto-association rate, $\Gamma$, versus magnetic field detuning (points). The solid line shows a scaled Fermi golden rule calculation for the transition rate from our calculated atomic and bound molecular states. The scaling factor was chosen to fit the data and accounts for the density and temperature dependence of the conversion rate.

Figure 5

(Color online) Properties of $p$-wave Feshbach molecules as a function of magnetic field detuning. The size of the molecule (black), open- (red), and closed- (dashed red) channel components are shown. The closed-channel amplitude, $Z$ (blue, right-hand vertical axis), is shown as a function of detuning.