Hyperfine-structure-induced purely long-range molecules

We have experimentally observed and theoretically identified a novel class of purely long-range molecules. This novel purely long-range state is formed due to a very weak hyperfine interaction that is usually treated only as a small perturbation in molecular spectra. Photoassociation spectroscopy of ultracold ytterbium (171Yb) atoms with the 1S0-3P1 intercombination transition presents clear identification of molecular states and the shallowest molecular potential depth of about 750 MHz among the purely long-range molecules ever observed.