Experimental Determination of p-wave Scattering Parameters in ultracold 6Li atoms

TL;DR

This paper experimentally measures p-wave scattering parameters in ultracold 6Li atoms, providing essential data for realizing p-wave superfluidity in Fermi gases.

Contribution

It presents the first precise experimental determination of p-wave scattering parameters in a single-component Fermi gas of 6Li atoms.

Findings

Scattering parameters were obtained from scattering rates as a function of magnetic field.

The method accounts for atomic momentum distribution and trap inhomogeneity.

Results are crucial for future studies of p-wave superfluidity.

Abstract

We report the experimental determination of the scattering parameters for a p-wave Feshbach resonance in a single component Fermi gas of 6Li atoms in the lowest spin state. The time scale of the cross-dimensional relaxation reflects the elastic scattering rate of the atoms, and scattering parameters are determined from the scattering rate as a function of magnetic field by taking into account the momentum distribution and inhomogeneous density profile of the atoms in a trap. Precise determination of the scattering parameters for a p-wave Feshbach resonance is an important step toward the realization of a p-wave superfluid in an ultracold atomic gas.