Photoassociative spectroscopy at long range in ultracold strontium

Citation:
Nagel, SB, Mickelson PG, Saenz AD, Martinez YN, Chen YC, Killian TC, Pellegrini P, Cote R.  2005.  Photoassociative spectroscopy at long range in ultracold strontium, Mar 4. Physical Review Letters. 94

Abstract:

We report photoassociative spectroscopy of Sr-88(2) in a magneto-optical trap operating on the S-1(0)-->P-3(1) intercombination line at 689 nm. Photoassociative transitions are driven with a laser red detuned by 600-2400 MHz from the S-1(0)-->P-1(1) atomic resonance at 461 nm. Photoassociation takes place at extremely large internuclear separation, and the photoassociative spectrum is strongly affected by relativistic retardation. A fit of the transition frequencies determines the P-1(1) atomic lifetime (tau=5.22+/-0.03 ns) and resolves a discrepancy between experiment and recent theoretical calculations.

Notes:

Times Cited: 30

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