Two-Body Transients in Coupled Atomic-Molecular Bose-Einstein Condensates

Journal Article · Fri Mar 07 00:00:00 EST 2008 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.100.093001· OSTI ID:21123641

Naidon, Pascal ^[1]; Tiesinga, Eite ^[2]; Julienne, Paul S ^[1]

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1. Atomic Physics Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive Stop 8423, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8423 (United States)
2. Joint Quantum Institute, National Institute of Standards and Technology, University of Maryland, 100 Bureau Drive Stop 8423, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8423 (United States)

We discuss the dynamics of an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate when pairs of atoms are converted into molecules by single-color photoassociation. Three main regimes are found, and it is shown that they can be understood on the basis of time-dependent two-body theory. In particular, the so-called rogue dissociation regime [Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 090403 (2002)], which has a density-dependent limit on the photoassociation rate, is identified with a transient regime of the two-atom dynamics exhibiting universal properties. Finally, we illustrate how these regimes could be explored by photoassociating condensates of alkaline-earth atoms.

• OSTI ID: 21123641
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 100, Issue 9; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.093001; (c) 2008 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ATOMS
BOSE-EINSTEIN CONDENSATION
COLOR
TIME DEPENDENCE
TWO-BODY PROBLEM