Photoassociation of sodium in a Bose-Einstein condensate.
/ Authors
C. McKenzie, J. Denschlag, H. Häffner, A. Browaeys, L. D. Araujo, F. Fatemi, Kevin M. Jones, Jesse E. Simsarian, D. Cho, A. Simoni
and 6 more authors
E. Tiesinga, P. Julienne, K. Helmerson, P. Lett, S. Rolston, W. Phillips
/ Abstract
We form ultracold Na2 molecules by single-photon photoassociation of a Bose-Einstein condensate, measuring the photoassociation rate, linewidth, and light shift of the J = 1, v = 135 vibrational level of the A1 Sigma (+)(u) molecular state. The photoassociation rate constant increases linearly with intensity, even where it is predicted that many-body effects might limit the rate. Our observations are in good agreement with a two-body theory having no free parameters.
Journal: Physical review letters