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Quantum Degenerate Mixtures of Alkali and Alkaline-Earth-Like Atoms

Hideaki Hara, Yosuke Takasu, Yoshifumi Yamaoka, John M. Doyle, and Yoshiro Takahashi
Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 205304 – Published 19 May 2011
Physics logo See Synopsis: Steps toward a new quantum fluid

Abstract

We realize simultaneous quantum degeneracy in mixtures consisting of the alkali and alkaline-earth-like atoms Li and Yb. This is accomplished within an optical trap by sympathetic cooling of the fermionic isotope Li6 with evaporatively cooled bosonic Yb174 and, separately, fermionic Yb173. Using cross-thermalization studies, we also measure the elastic s-wave scattering lengths of both Li-Yb combinations, |aLi6Yb174|=1.0±0.2nm and |aLi6Yb173|=0.9±0.2nm. The equality of these lengths is found to be consistent with mass-scaling analysis. The quantum degenerate mixtures of Li and Yb, as realized here, can be the basis for creation of ultracold molecules with electron spin degrees of freedom, studies of novel Efimov trimers, and impurity probes of superfluid systems.

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  • Received 16 March 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.205304

© 2011 American Physical Society

Synopsis

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Steps toward a new quantum fluid

Published 19 May 2011

Experimenters have created overlapping quantum fluids of lithium and ytterbium, en route to creating quantum fluids of molecules that have unpaired electronic spins.

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Authors & Affiliations

Hideaki Hara1, Yosuke Takasu1, Yoshifumi Yamaoka1, John M. Doyle2, and Yoshiro Takahashi1,3

  • 1Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
  • 2Harvard University, Department of Physics, Cambridge Massachusetts 02138, USA
  • 3CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0075, Japan

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Issue

Vol. 106, Iss. 20 — 20 May 2011

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