Observation of modulation-induced Feshbach resonance

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of a new type of Feshbach resonance induced by laser modulation, allowing control and probing of atomic interactions and molecular states without magnetic fields, opening new avenues in quantum simulation.

Contribution

The work introduces a novel modulation-induced Feshbach resonance mechanism, enabling direct energy spectrum scanning and control of atomic interactions using laser modulation instead of magnetic fields.

Findings

Observation of resonance at specific modulation frequencies

Ability to probe molecular states embedded in the continuum

Control of atomic interactions spatially with laser modulation

Abstract

In this work, we observe a novel resonant mechanism, namely the modulation-induced Feshbach resonance. By applying a far-detuned laser to the cesium D2 transition with intensity modulation, we periodically shake the energy levels of atomic collisional states. This periodic shaking connects the free-scattering states to shallow molecular states. At specific frequencies, we observe significant atom loss, which corresponds to the resonant coupling between these two types of states. This precisely corresponds to a form of Feshbach resonance, yet in the frequency domain rather than the magnetic-field domain. Using this method, we can directly scan the energy spectrum of molecular bound states without synthesizing any molecules. In addition to these bound states, we can also probe the molecular states embedded in the continuum, which are typically very difficult to detect by the conventional methods based on molecular synthesis. Moreover, by using a far-detuned laser instead of a magnetic field coil, it enables spatially dependent control over atomic interactions, coupling multiple levels simultaneously, and inducing new Feshbach resonances for those atoms that do not have conventional magnetic resonances. Therefore, we believe that this new resonant mechanism offers new opportunities for controlling atomic and molecular interactions in quantum simulations.