Interaction-driven dynamics of 40K- 87Rb Fermion-Boson gas mixtures in the large-particle-number limit

We have studied effects of interspecies attraction in a Fermi-Bose mixture over a large regime of particle numbers in the 40K-87Rb system. We report on the observation of a mean-field driven collapse at critical particle numbers of 1.2 x 10(6) 87Rb atoms in the condensate and 7.5 x 10(5) 40K atoms consistent with mean-field theory for a scattering length of aFB = -284a(0). For large overcritical particle numbers, we see evidence for revivals of the collapse. Part of our detailed study of the decay dynamics and mechanisms is a measurement of the (87Rb- 87Rb- 40K) three-body loss coefficient K3 = (2.8 +/- 1.1) x 10(-28) cm6/s, which is an important parameter for dynamical studies of the system.     

Sodium Bose-Einstein condensates in the F = 2 state in a large-volume optical trap

We have investigated the properties of Bose-Einstein condensates of sodium atoms in the upper hyperfine ground state. Condensates in the high-field seeking [F=2, m(F)=-2> state were created in a large volume optical trap from initially prepared [F=1, m(F)=-1> condensates using a microwave transition at 1.77 GHz. We found condensates in the stretched state [F=2, m(F)=-2> to be stable for several seconds at densities in the range of 10(14) atoms/cm(3). In addition, we studied the clock transition [F=1, m(F)=0> --> [F=2, m(F)=0> in a sodium Bose-Einstein condensate and determined a density-dependent frequency shift of (2.44+/-0.25+/-0.5) x 10(-12) Hz cm(3).     

Quantum dynamics of ultracold Na+ Na2 collisions

Ultracold collisions between spin-polarized Na atoms and vibrationally excited Na2 molecules are investigated theoretically, using a reactive scattering formalism (including atom exchange). Calculations are carried out on both pairwise additive and nonadditive potential energy surfaces for the quartet electronic state. The Wigner threshold laws are followed for energies below 10(-5) K. Vibrational relaxation processes dominate elastic processes for temperatures below 10(-3)-10(-4) K. For temperatures below 10(-5) K, the rate coefficients for vibrational relaxation (v=1-->0) are 4.8x10(-11) and 5.2x10(-10) cm(3) s(-1) for the additive and nonadditive potentials, respectively. The large difference emphasizes the importance of using accurate potential energy surfaces for such calculations.     

Creating a baseline radiological standard for the waste isolation pilot plant underground

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a deep underground geological repository for defense transuranic wastes. The creation of a full baseline radiological standard for the WIPP underground is essential in order to evaluate and account for the influence of the naturally occurring radioactive materials, and to prepare for any suspected contamination or the very unlikely event of a real accident scenario. In this report, we describe the establishment of the baseline information using the gamma background dose rate measurements and the salt rib smears of surface removable alpha and beta activities throughout the WIPP underground. The average background gamma dose rate in the WIPP underground is 8.27 x 10(-9) +/- 1.65 x 10(-9) Gy/h while the gamma dose rate on the WIPP surface is 3.46 x 10(-8) +/- 1.65 x 10(-9) Gy/h. The overall surface average alpha activity in the underground is 8.52 x 10(-5) +/- 1.22 x 10(-4) Bq/cm2 (at 1sigma level) with the minimum detectable activity (MDA) of 4.81 x 10(-4) Bq/cm2. The overall surface average beta activity is 8.25 x 10(-4) +/- 8.17 x 10(-4) Bq/cm2 (at 1sigma level) with the MDA of 3.19 x 10(-3) Bq/cm2. This baseline standard will be beneficial to the overall WIPP operational facility, ensuring the worker safety and adding to public confidence in the operation of the WIPP.     

852.3 nm激光线共振激发Cs蒸气的荧光光谱

研究了Cs蒸气被单模半导体激光器的852.3 nm线激发产生的荧光光谱。由Cs,Cs₂的荧光及其强度确定了在受激Cs-Cs₂系统中的若干碰撞和辐射过程。高位态原子线是由Cs(6P_3/2)+ Cs(6P_3/2)到Cs(6D,8S)的碰撞能量合并形成的,Cs₂(B 1∏_u)带则由Cs(6P)+Cs₂(X 1Σ+_g)碰撞转移产生。通过激发转移、能量碰撞合并和Cs₂-Cs碰撞传能研究了6 2P原子的精细结构混合,得到了6P_3/2→6P_1/2碰撞转移速率系数是(5.2±2.1)×10-11 cm3·s-1,给出了过程Cs₂(B 1∏_u)+Cs(6S)→Cs₂(X 1Σ+_g)+Cs(6P_1/2)的速率系数是(1.0±0.4)×10-9 cm3·s-1。     

Magnetic trapping of silver and copper, and anomalous spin relaxation in the ag-he system

We have trapped large numbers of copper (Cu) and silver (Ag) atoms using buffer-gas cooling. Up to 3 x 10{12} Cu atoms and 4 x 10{13} Ag atoms are trapped. Lifetimes are as long as 5 s, limited by collisions with the buffer gas. Ratios of elastic to inelastic collision rates with He are >or=10{6}, suggesting Cu and Ag are favorable for use in ultracold applications. The temperature dependence of the Ag-3He collision rate varies as T;{5.8+/-0.4}. We find that this temperature dependence is inconsistent with the behavior predicted for relaxation arising from the spin-rotation interaction, and conclude that the Ag-3He system displays anomalous collisional behavior in the multiple-partial wave regime. Gold (Au) was ablated into 3He buffer gas, however, atomic Au lifetimes were observed to be too short to permit trapping.     

Enhancement of phase space density by increasing trap anisotropy in a magneto-optical trap with a large number of atoms

The phase space density of dense, cylindrical clouds of atoms in a 2D magneto-optic trap is investigated. For a large number of trapped atoms (>10(8)), the density of a spherical cloud is limited by photon reabsorption. However, as the atom cloud is deformed to reduce the radial optical density, the temperature of the atoms decreases due to the suppression of multiple scattering leading to an increase in the phase space density. A density of 2 x 10(-4) has been achieved in a magneto-optic trap containing 2 x 10(8) atoms.     

Determination of the newtonian gravitational constant using atom interferometry

We present a new measurement of the Newtonian gravitational constant G based on cold-atom interferometry. Freely falling samples of laser-cooled rubidium atoms are used in a gravity gradiometer to probe the field generated by nearby source masses. In addition to its potential sensitivity, this method is intriguing as gravity is explored by a quantum system. We report a value of G = 6.667 x 10(-11) m(3) kg(-1) s(-2), estimating a statistical uncertainty of +/-0.011 x 10(-11) m(3) kg(-1) s(-2) and a systematic uncertainty of +/-0.003 x 10(-11) m(3) kg(-1) s(-2). The long-term stability of the instrument and the signal-to-noise ratio demonstrated here open interesting perspectives for pushing the measurement accuracy below the 100 ppm level.     

Slow spin relaxation of Rb atoms confined in glass cells filled with dense 4He gas at 1.85 K

At temperatures below 2.1 K, long-lived gaseous Rb atoms in glass cells have been generated with a simple method: irradiating the cells, containing 4He gas and Rb metal, with a cw laser. The obtained atomic Rb density ( approximately 10(8) cm(-3)) decreases with a 1/e time constant of about 10 s at 1.85 K. We have performed optical pumping of the Rb atoms and measured the longitudinal electronic spin relaxation time at 1.85 K as well. For processes (such as Rb-He collisions) which do not remove the atomic Rb from the vapor, this relaxation time is found to be about 60+/-15 s.     

Strong quantum spin correlations observed in atomic spin mixing

We have observed sub-Poissonian spin correlations generated by collisionally induced spin mixing in a spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensate. We measure a quantum noise reduction of -7 dB (-10 dB corrected for detection noise) below the standard quantum limit for the corresponding coherent spin states. The spin fluctuations are detected as atom number differences in the spin states using fluorescent imaging that achieves a detection noise floor of 8 atoms per spin component for a probe time of 100 μs.     

Test of the equivalence principle using a rotating torsion balance

We used a continuously rotating torsion balance instrument to measure the acceleration difference of beryllium and titanium test bodies towards sources at a variety of distances. Our result Deltaa(N),(Be-Ti)=(0.6+/-3.1)x10(-15) m/s2 improves limits on equivalence-principle violations with ranges from 1 m to infinity by an order of magnitude. The E?tv?s parameter is eta(Earth,Be-Ti)=(0.3+/-1.8)x10(-13). By analyzing our data for accelerations towards the center of the Milky Way we find equal attractions of Be and Ti towards galactic dark matter, yielding eta(DM,Be-Ti)=(-4+/-7)x10(-5). Space-fixed differential accelerations in any direction are limited to less than 8.8x10(-15) m/s2 with 95% confidence.     

Cs(8S)态的碰撞转移和高位原子态的激发

在Cs蒸气中,二步激发Cs原子至8S态,研究了其碰撞转移和高位原子态的产生过程.在1016～1017 cm-3密度范围内,测量了碰撞激发转移8S 6S→6D 6S的速率系数.由测得的荧光强度随密度的变化关系,得到k6D=(2.4±0.5)×10-10 cm3·s-1.同时研究了碰撞能量合并过程5D 5D→nL 6S(nL=9D,11S,7F),5D态是由8S→7P→5D的辐射跃迁产生的.由以前测量过的6P 5D 6S 7D的转移速率系数以及6P态的原子密度,结合荧光强度比得到碰撞能量合并过程的速率系数,对于9D,11S和7F各态,其平均值分别为(6.4±3.2)×10-10,(1.0±0.5)×10-10和(8.4±4.2)×10-10 cm3·s-1.     

Correlations and counting statistics of an atom laser

We demonstrate time-resolved counting of single atoms extracted from a weakly interacting Bose-Einstein condensate of 87Rb atoms. The atoms are detected with a high-finesse optical cavity and single atom transits are identified. An atom laser beam is formed by continuously output coupling atoms from the Bose-Einstein condensate. We investigate the full counting statistics of this beam and measure its second order correlation function g((2))(tau) in a Hanbury Brown-Twiss type experiment. For the monoenergetic atom laser we observe a constant correlation function g((2))(tau)=1.00 +/- 0.01 and an atom number distribution close to a Poissonian statistics. A pseudothermal atomic beam shows a bunching behavior and a Bose distributed counting statistics.     

Experimental determination of the helium 2(3)P(1)-1(1)S0 transition rate

We present the first experimental determination of the 2(3)P(1)-1(1)S0 transition rate in helium and compare this measurement with theoretical quantum-electrodynamic predictions. The experiment exploits the very long (approximately 1 minute) confinement times obtained for atoms magneto-optically trapped in an apparatus used to create a Bose-Einstein condensate of metastable (2(3)S1) helium. The 2(3)P(1)-1(1)S0 transition rate is measured directly from the decay rate of the cold atomic cloud following 1083 nm laser excitation from the 2(3)S1 to the 2(3)P1 state, and from accurate knowledge of the 2(3)P1 population. The value obtained is 177+/-8 s(-1), which agrees very well with theoretical predictions, and has an accuracy that compares favorably with measurements for the same transition in heliumlike ions higher in the isoelectronic sequence.     

利用CARS技术研究激发态Rb2和H2的碰撞转移

利用相干反斯托克斯拉曼光谱(coherent anti-stokes Raman spectroscopy,CARS)探测技术,研究了激发态Rb2与H<,2>间的电子-振转能级的碰撞转移.扫描CARS谱确认了H<,2>分子仅在v=1,J=1,2及v=2,J=0,1,2能级上有布居,用n1,n2,n3,n4,n5分别表示...     

Bose–Einstein condensation of atomic hydrogen

The recent creation of a Bose–Einstein condensate of atomic hydrogen has added a new system to this exciting field. The differences between hydrogen and the alkali metal atoms require other techniques for the initial trapping and cooling of the atoms and the subsequent detection of the condensate. The use of a cryogenic loading technique results in a larger number of trapped atoms. Spectroscopic detection is well suited to measuring the temperature and density of the sample in situ. The transition was observed at a temperature of 50 μK and a density of 2×10¹⁴ cm^-3. The number of condensed atoms is about 10⁹ at a condensate fraction of a few percent. A peak condensate density of 4.8×10¹⁵ cm^-3 has been observed. Received: 22 June 1999 / Published online: 3 November 1999     

Comparing contact and dipolar interactions in a Bose-Einstein condensate

We have measured the relative strength epsilon dd of the magnetic dipole-dipole interaction compared with the contact interaction in a dipolar chromium Bose-Einstein condensate. We analyze the asymptotic velocities of expansion of the condensate with different orientations of the atomic magnetic moments. By comparing the experimental results with numerical solutions of the hydrodynamic equations for dipolar condensates, we obtain epsilon dd = 0.159+/-0.034. We use this result to determine the s-wave scattering length a = (5.08+/-1.06 x 10(-9)) m = (96+/-20) a0 of 52Cr. This is fully consistent with our previous measurements on the basis of Feshbach resonances and therefore confirms the validity of the theoretical approach used to describe the dipolar Bose-Einstein condensate.     

Observation of decays B0-->Ds(*)+ pi- and B0-->Ds(*)- K+

We report the observation of decays B{0}-->D{s}{(*)+}pi- and B{0}-->D{s}{(*)-}K+ in a sample of 230 x 10(6) Upsilon(4S)-->BB[over] events recorded with the BABAR detector at the SLAC PEP-II asymmetric-energy e+ e- storage ring. We measure the branching fractions B(B{0}-->D{s}{+}pi-)=(1.3+/-0.3(stat)+/-0.2(syst))x10(-5), B(B{0}-->D{s}{-} K+)=(2.5+/-0.4(stat)+/-0.4(syst))x10(-5), B(B{0}-->D{s}{*+}pi-)=(2.8+/-0.6(stat)+/-0.5(syst))x10(-5), and B(B{0}-->D{s}{*-}K+)=(2.0+/-0.5(stat)+/-0.4(syst))x10(-5). The significances of the measurements to differ from zero are 5, 9, 6, and 5 standard deviations, respectively. This is the first observation of B{0}-->D{s}{+}pi-, B{0}-->D{s}{*+}pi-, and B{0}-->D{s}{*-}K+ decays.     

Sensitive detection of cold cesium molecules formed on Feshbach resonances

We observe the dynamic formation of quasibound Cs2 molecules near Feshbach resonances in a cold sample of atomic cesium. Using an external probe beam, more than 15 weakly coupled molecular states are detected with high sensitivity, whose collisional formation cross sections are as small as sigma=2 x 10(-16) cm(2). By modeling the molecule formation and dissociation processes with rate equations, we conclude that at an atomic density of 10(13) cm(-3) and temperature of 5 microK, more than 5(1)x10(5) Cs2 molecules in a single rovibrational state coexist with 10(8) Cs atoms in our trap.     

Three-body decay of a rubidium Bose–Einstein condensate

We have measured the three-body decay of a Bose–Einstein condensate of rubidium (⁸⁷Rb) atoms prepared in the doubly polarized ground state F=m _F =2. Our data are taken for a peak atomic density in the condensate varying between 2×10¹⁴ cm^-3 at initial time and 7×10¹³ cm^-3, 16 s later. Taking into account the influence of the uncondensed atoms on the decay of the condensate, we deduce a rate constant for condensed atoms L=1.8 (±0.5) ×10^-29 cm⁶ s^-1. For these densities we did not find a significant contribution of two-body processes such as spin dipole relaxation. Received: 24 November 1998 / Revised version: 26 June 1999 / Published online: 8 September 1999