The effects of hyperfine interactions on collisions between optically trapped atoms
- Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); and others
We report measurements of excited-state collision rates of optically trapped {sup 85}Rb and {sup 87}Rb. The collision rates have been measured in the vicinity of the P{sub 3/2} and P{sub 1/2} states of both isotopes. By studying the collision rates as a function of the frequency of light used to cause the collisions, we obtain collision spectra that reveal the importance of hyperfine interactions on the collision dynamics. In certain frequency ranges the spectra for the two isotopes are nearly identical, while in others we find substantially reduced rates for {sup 87}Rb (large hyperfine interaction) as compared to {sup 85}Rb (small hyperfine interaction). For the P{sub 1/2} states, where hyperfine splittings are large compared to the characteristic frequency scale for these collisions, the shapes of the spectra more closely correspond to those expected from simple models that neglect hyperfine interactions. Many of our observations can be qualitatively explained by our calculations of the long-range resonance potential curves including hyperfine interactions.
- OSTI ID:
- 281603
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9305421-; ISSN 0003-0503; TRN: 96:019533
- Journal Information:
- Bulletin of the American Physical Society, Vol. 38, Issue 3; Conference: 1993 American Physical Society annual meeting on atomic, molecular, and topical physics, Reno, NV (United States), 16-19 May 1993; Other Information: PBD: May 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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