Antiferromagnetic Interorbital Spin-Exchange Interaction of $^{171}$Yb

TL;DR

This paper measures the scattering lengths between two electronic states of $^{171}$Yb atoms, revealing antiferromagnetic interorbital spin-exchange interactions, which are promising for quantum simulations of the Kondo effect.

Contribution

It provides the first precise measurement of interorbital scattering lengths in $^{171}$Yb, demonstrating antiferromagnetic interactions relevant for quantum simulation.

Findings

Measured $s$-wave scattering lengths: $a_{eg}^+=225(13)a_0$, $a_{eg}^-=355(6)a_0$

Confirmed antiferromagnetic interorbital spin-exchange interaction

Indicates $^{171}$Yb as a promising candidate for quantum simulation of the Kondo effect

Abstract

We report on the investigation of the scattering properties between the ground state $^1S_0$ and the metastable state $^3P_0$ of the fermionic isotope of $^{171}$Yb. We successfully measure the $s$-wave scattering lengths in the two-orbital collision channels as $a_{eg}^+=225(13)a_0$ and $a_{eg}^-=355(6)a_0$, using the clock transition spectroscopy in a three-dimensional optical lattice. The result shows that the interorbital spin-exchange interaction is antiferromagnetic, indicating that $^{171}$Yb atom is a promising isotope for the quantum simulation of the Kondo effect with the two-orbital system.