Quantum chaos in ultracold collisions between Yb($^1$S$_0$) and Yb($^3$P$_2$)

TL;DR

This study investigates Feshbach resonance spectra in ultracold Yb collisions, revealing the emergence of quantum chaos signatures under magnetic fields, with implications for understanding complex quantum systems.

Contribution

It demonstrates the transition from random to chaotic resonance distributions in Yb collisions as magnetic fields are applied, highlighting quantum chaos signatures in ultracold atomic interactions.

Findings

Resonances are randomly distributed at zero magnetic field.

Quantum chaos signatures emerge under applied magnetic fields.

Resonances exhibit strong level repulsion characteristic of chaos.

Abstract

We calculate and analyze Feshbach resonance spectra for ultracold Yb($^1$S$_0$) + Yb($^3$P$_2$) collisions as a function of an interatomic potential scaling factor $\lambda$ and external magnetic field. We show that, at zero field, the resonances are distributed randomly in $\lambda$, but that signatures of quantum chaos emerge as a field is applied. The random zero-field distribution arises from superposition of structured spectra associated with individual total angular momenta. In addition, we show that the resonances in magnetic field in the experimentally accessible range 400 to 2000~G are chaotically distributed, with strong level repulsion that is characteristic of quantum chaos.