Probing ultracold collisional dynamics with frequency-chirped pulses

Journal Article · Fri Dec 15 04:00:00 EST 2006 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVA.74.063402· OSTI ID:20976495

Wright, M J; Pechkis, J A; Carini, J L; Gould, P L ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, U-3046, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269 (United States)

We report on the dynamics of ultracold collisions induced by near-resonant frequency-chirped light. A series of identical chirped pulses, separated by a variable delay, is applied to an ultracold sample of {sup 85}Rb, and the rate of inelastic trap-loss collisions is measured. For small detunings of the chirped light below the atomic resonance, we observe that the rate of collisions induced by a given pulse can be increased by the presence of an earlier pulse. We attribute this to the enhancement of short-range collisional flux by the long-range excitation of atom pairs to an attractive molecular potential. For larger detunings and short delays, we find that a leading pulse can suppress the rate of collisions caused by a following pulse. This is due to a depletion of short-range atom pairs by the earlier pulse. Comparison of our data to classical Monte Carlo simulations of the collisions yields reasonable agreement.

• OSTI ID: 20976495
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Journal Name: Physical Review. A Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 74; ISSN 1050-2947; ISSN PLRAAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ATOMS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
EXCITATION
LASER RADIATION
LOSSES
MONTE CARLO METHOD
PHOTON-ATOM COLLISIONS
POTENTIALS
PULSES
RESONANCE
RUBIDIUM 85
TRAPS