Coherent Molecule Formation in Anharmonic Potentials Near Confinement-Induced Resonances

S. Sala, G. Zürn, T. Lompe, A. N. Wenz, S. Murmann, F. Serwane, S. Jochim, and A. Saenz
Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 203202 – Published 16 May 2013
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Abstract

We perform a theoretical and experimental study of a system of two ultracold atoms with tunable interaction in an elongated trapping potential. We show that the coupling of center-of-mass and relative motion due to an anharmonicity of the trapping potential leads to a coherent coupling of a state of an unbound atom pair and a molecule with a center of mass excitation. By performing the experiment with exactly two particles we exclude three-body losses and can therefore directly observe coherent molecule formation. We find quantitative agreement between our theory of inelastic confinement-induced resonances and the experimental results. This shows that the effects of center-of-mass to relative-motion coupling can have a significant impact on the physics of quantum systems near center-of-mass to relative-motion coupling resonances.

  • Received 7 March 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.203202

© 2013 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

S. Sala1,*, G. Zürn2,3, T. Lompe2,3,4, A. N. Wenz2,3, S. Murmann2,3, F. Serwane2,3,4,†, S. Jochim2,3,4, and A. Saenz1

  • 1AG Moderne Optik, Institut für Physik, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Newtonstrasse 15, 12489 Berlin, Germany
  • 2Physikalisches Institut, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
  • 3Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
  • 4ExtreMe Matter Institute EMMI, GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, 64291 Darmstadt, Germany

  • *ssala@physik.hu-berlin.de
  • Present address: European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.

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Issue

Vol. 110, Iss. 20 — 17 May 2013

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