Article

Heteronuclear molecules in an optical dipole trap

J. J. ZirbelJILA, Quantum Physics Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology and Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USAKang-Kuen NiJILA, Quantum Physics Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology and Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USASilke OspelkausJILA, Quantum Physics Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology and Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USATravis NicholsonJILA, Quantum Physics Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology and Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USAMichelle L. OlsenJILA, Quantum Physics Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology and Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USAPaul S. JulienneJoint Quantum Institute, National Institute of Standards and Technology and University of Maryland, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8423, USACarl WiemanJILA, Quantum Physics Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology and Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USAJun YeJILA, Quantum Physics Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology and Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USAD. S. JinJILA, Quantum Physics Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology and Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USA

2008en

ABI

Abstract

We report on the creation and characterization of heteronuclear $^{40}\text{K}^{87}\text{R}\text{b}$ Feshbach molecules in an optical dipole trap. Starting from an ultracold gas mixture of $^{40}\text{K}$ and $^{87}\text{R}\text{b}$ atoms, we create as many as 25 000 molecules at 300 nK by rf association. Optimizing the association process, we achieve a conversion efficiency of 25%. We measure the temperature dependence of the rf association process and find good agreement with a phenomenological model that has previously been applied to Feshbach molecule creation by slow magnetic-field sweeps. We also present a measurement of the binding energy of the heteronuclear molecules in the vicinity of the Feshbach resonance and provide evidence for Feshbach molecules as deeply bound as 26 MHz.

Identifiers

DOI: 10.1103/physreva.78.013416

Citations and references

Cited by 70 references

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