Abstract
We measure the critical scattering length for the appearance of the first three-body bound state, or Efimov three-body parameter, at seven different Feshbach resonances in ultracold atoms. We study both intermediate and narrow resonances, where the three-body spectrum is expected to be determined by the nonuniversal coupling of two scattering channels. Instead, our observed ratio of the three-body parameter with the van der Waals radius is approximately the same universal ratio as for broader resonances. This unexpected observation suggests the presence of a new regime for three-body scattering at narrow resonances.
- Received 16 March 2013
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.053202
© 2013 American Physical Society
Synopsis
New Atomic Trios Follow the Rules
Published 1 August 2013
Experiments show that a wider range of atoms can follow universal rules in forming three-body groupings called Efimov states.
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