Photoassociative Spectroscopy of Ultracold Metastable Argon

Authors

M. K. Shaffer, Old Dominion University
G. Ranjit, Old Dominion University
C. I. Sukenik, Old Dominion UniversityFollow
M. Walhout

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2011

DOI

10.1103/PhysRevA.83.052516

Publication Title

Physical Review A

Volume

83

Issue

5

Pages

052516

Abstract

We present results of photoassociative spectroscopy performed on ultracold metastable argonatoms in a magneto-optical trap. Ion spectra are obtained with laser detuning up to a few gigahertz below the 4s[3/2]₂ → 4p[5/2]₃ trapping transition at 811 nm and with intensities in a range of ~(10²-10⁵)I_Sat. We also compute dipole-dipole potentials for both singly and doubly excited diatomic molecules and use a Leroy-Bernstein analysis to determine the approximate vibrational spacings in the (s+p) and (p+p) manifolds. Based on this theoretical framework, we explain a broad background feature in our data and suggest that double-excitation mechanisms are likely responsible for sharp dips in the ion signal.

Original Publication Citation

Shaffer, M. K., Ranjit, G., Sukenik, C. I., & Walhout, M. (2011). Photoassociative spectroscopy of ultracold metastable argon. Physical Review A, 83(5), 052516. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevA.83.052516

Repository Citation

Shaffer, M. K.; Ranjit, G.; Sukenik, C. I.; and Walhout, M., "Photoassociative Spectroscopy of Ultracold Metastable Argon" (2011). Physics Faculty Publications. 1.
https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/physics_fac_pubs/1