Inelastic losses in radio-frequency-dressed traps for ultracold atoms

Owens, Daniel J.; Hutson, Jeremy M.

doi:10.1103/physreva.96.042707

Inelastic losses in radio-frequency-dressed traps for ultracold atoms

Owens, Daniel J.; Hutson, Jeremy M.

Authors

Daniel J. Owens

Professor Jeremy Hutson j.m.hutson@durham.ac.uk
Professor

Abstract

We calculate the rates of inelastic collisions for ultracold alkali-metal atoms in radio-frequency-dressed traps, using coupled-channel scattering calculations on accurate potential energy surfaces. We identify a radio-frequency-induced loss mechanism that does not exist in the absence of radio frequency (rf) radiation. This mechanism is not suppressed by a centrifugal barrier in the outgoing channel, and can be much faster than spin relaxation, which is centrifugally suppressed. We explore the dependence of the rf-induced loss rate on singlet and triplet scattering lengths, hyperfine splittings, and the strength of the rf field. We interpret the results in terms of an adiabatic model of the collision dynamics, and calculate the corresponding nonadiabatic couplings. The loss rate can vary by 10 orders of magnitude as a function of singlet and triplet scattering lengths. 87 Rb is a special case, where several factors combine to reduce rf-induced losses; as a result, they are slow compared to spin-relaxation losses. For most other alkali-metal pairs, rf-induced losses are expected to be much faster and may dominate.

Citation

Owens, D. J., & Hutson, J. M. (2017). Inelastic losses in radio-frequency-dressed traps for ultracold atoms. Physical Review A, 96(4), Article 042707. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.96.042707

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Aug 22, 2017
Online Publication Date	Oct 12, 2017
Publication Date	Oct 12, 2017
Deposit Date	Nov 1, 2017
Publicly Available Date	Nov 1, 2017
Journal	Physical Review A
Print ISSN	2469-9926
Electronic ISSN	2469-9934
Publisher	American Physical Society
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	96
Issue	4
Article Number	042707
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.96.042707

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Copyright Statement
Reprinted with permission from the American Physical Society: Owens, Daniel J. & Hutson, Jeremy M. (2017). Inelastic losses in radio-frequency-dressed traps for ultracold atoms. Physical Review A 96(4): 042707 © 2017 by the American Physical Society. Readers may view, browse, and/or download material for temporary copying purposes only, provided these uses are for noncommercial personal purposes. Except as provided by law, this material may not be further reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, adapted, performed, displayed, published, or sold in whole or part, without prior written permission from the American Physical Society.