Producing quantum degenerate gas of polar molecules

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23340117
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Atomic/Molecular/Quantum electronics
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: INOUYE Shin 東京大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (10401150)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 量子エレクトロニクス / 原子・分子物理 / 低温物性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The goal of the project was to produce a quantum degenerate gas of KRb molecules from a dual Bose-Einstein condensate, which is made of rubidium and potassium atoms. By sweeping the magnetic field across a Feshbach resonance, it is possible to produce ultracold molecules from pairs of ultracold atoms. However, the enhancement of interaction between two atoms at Feshbach resonance also causes an enhancement of interaction between three atoms, which results in resonant loss feature called "Efimov resonance". We measured inelastic loss caused by atom-atom scattering and atom-molecule scattering, and succeeded in observing a resonant loss feature in the latter. The data is now used by theory groups for constructing a theory for Efimov resonance for hetero-nuclear systems.

Free Research Field

量子縮退気体