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arXiv · 2411.01209

Associative ionization in a dilute ultracold $^7$Li gas probed with a hybrid trap

N. Joshi·Vaibhav Mahendrakar·M. Niranjan·Raghuveer Singh Yadav·E Krishnakumar·A. Pandey·R Vexiau·O. Dulieu·S. A. Rangwala
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Abstract

The formation of Li$_2^+$ and subsequently Li$^+$ ions, during the excitation of $^7$Li atoms to the $3S_{1/2}$ state in a $^7$Li magneto optical trap (MOT), is probed in an ion-atom hybrid trap. Associative ionization occurs during the collision of Li($2P_{3/2}$) and Li($3S_{1/2}$) ultracold atoms, creating Li$_2^+$ ions. Photodissociation of Li$_2^+$ by the MOT lasers is an active channel for the conversion of Li$_2^+$ to Li$^+$. A fraction of the Li$_2^+$ ions is long lived even in the presence of MOT light. Additionally, rapid formation of Li$^+$ from Li$_2^+$ in the absence of MOT light is observed. Resonant excitation of ultracold atoms, resulting in intricate molecular dynamics, reveals important processes in ultracold dilute gases.

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N. Joshi, Vaibhav Mahendrakar, M. Niranjan, Raghuveer Singh Yadav, E Krishnakumar, A. Pandey, R Vexiau, O. Dulieu, S. A. Rangwala. 2024-11-02. Associative ionization in a dilute ultracold $^7$Li gas probed with a hybrid trap. https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.01209

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