Correlation dynamics after short-pulse photoassociation

TL;DR

This paper explores how short-pulse photoassociation can be used to probe and analyze the correlation dynamics of atom pairs in ultracold gases, focusing on the effects of pulse parameters on experimental outcomes.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the influence of pulse parameters on the feasibility of pump-probe spectroscopy for observing two-body correlations in ultracold gases.

Findings

Pulse parameters significantly affect the ability to detect pair correlations.

Optimal pulse settings enhance the non-stationary wave packet signals.

The study guides experimental design for ultracold atom correlation measurements.

Abstract

Two atoms in an ultracold gas are correlated at short inter-atomic distances due to threshold effects where the potential energy of their interaction dominates the kinetic energy. The correlations manifest themselves in a distinct nodal structure of the density matrix at short inter-atomic distances. Pump-probe spectroscopy has recently been suggested [Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 260401 (2009)] to probe these pair correlations: A suitably chosen, short photoassociation laser pulse depletes the ground state pair density within the photoassociation window, creating a non-stationary wave packet in the electronic ground state. The dynamics of this non-stationary wave packet is monitored by time-delayed probe and ionization pulses. Here, we discuss how the choice of the pulse parameters affects experimental feasibility of this pump-probe spectroscopy of two-body correlations.