Spin Dependent Collision of Ultracold Metastable Atoms

TL;DR

This study investigates spin-dependent inelastic collisions of ultracold metastable ytterbium atoms, revealing different loss mechanisms and spin effects, which inform potential applications of the 3P2 state.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed comparison of spin-dependent collisional loss rates between different ytterbium states at ultracold temperatures.

Findings

Yb(3P2)-Yb(1S0) collisions show weak, spin-dependent inelastic loss.

Yb(3P2)-Yb(3P2) collisions are faster and spin-independent.

Results guide the use of 3P2 states in quantum applications.

Abstract

Spin-polarized metastable atoms of ultracold ytterbium are trapped at high density and their inelastic collisional properties are measured. We reveal that in collisions of Yb(3P2) with Yb(1S0) there is relatively weak inelastic loss, but with a significant spin-dependence consistent with Zeeman sublevel changes as being the dominant decay process. This is in strong contrast to our observations of Yb(3P2)-Yb(3P2) collisional loss, which are, at low field, much more rapid and have essentially no spin dependence. Our results give a guideline to use the 3P2 states in many possible applications.