Coherent Collisional Spin Dynamics in Optical Lattices

Journal Article · Fri Nov 04 00:00:00 EST 2005 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.190405· OSTI ID:20699524

Widera, Artur; Gerbier, Fabrice; Foelling, Simon; Gericke, Tatjana; Mandel, Olaf; Bloch, Immanuel ^[1]

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1. Johannes Gutenberg-Universitaet, Staudingerweg 7, 55099 Mainz (Germany)

We report on the observation of coherent, purely collisionally driven spin dynamics of neutral atoms in an optical lattice. For high lattice depths, atom pairs confined to the same lattice site show weakly damped Rabi-type oscillations between two-particle Zeeman states of equal magnetization, induced by spin-changing collisions. Moreover, measurement of the oscillation frequency allows for precise determination of the spin-changing collisional coupling strengths, which are directly related to fundamental scattering lengths describing interatomic collisions at ultracold temperatures.

• OSTI ID: 20699524
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 95, Issue 19; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.190405; (c) 2005 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ATOM-ATOM COLLISIONS
ATOMS
GROUND STATES
HYPERFINE STRUCTURE
MAGNETIZATION
OSCILLATIONS
RUBIDIUM
SCATTERING LENGTHS
SPIN
ZEEMAN EFFECT