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arXiv · 0802.0461

Inelastic Collisions in Optically Trapped Ultracold Metastable Ytterbium

A. Yamaguchi·S. Uetake·D. Hashimoto·J. M. Doyle·Y. Takahashi
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Abstract

We report measurement of inelastic loss in dense and cold metastable ytterbium (Yb[$^3P_2$]). Use of an optical far-off-resonance trap enables us to trap atoms in all magnetic sublevels, removing multichannel collisional trap loss from the system. Trapped samples of Yb[$^3P_2$] are produced at a density of 2$\times10^{13}$ cm$^{-3}$ and temperature of 2 $μ$K. We observe rapid two-body trap loss of Yb[$^3P_2$] and measure the inelastic collision rate constant 1.0(3)$\times10^{-11}$ cm$^3$s$^{-1}$. The existence of the fine-structure changing collisions between atoms in the $^3P_2$ state is strongly suggested.

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A. Yamaguchi, S. Uetake, D. Hashimoto, J. M. Doyle, Y. Takahashi. 2008-02-04. Inelastic Collisions in Optically Trapped Ultracold Metastable Ytterbium. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.101.233002

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