Measurement of P-Wave Threshold Law Using Evaporatively Cooled Fermionic Atoms

Published

May 1, 1999

Author(s)

B. L. DeMarco, J L. Bohn, J P. Burke, M J. Holland, Deborah S. Jin

Abstract

We have measured independently both s-wave and p-wave cross-dimensional thermalization rates for ultracold ⁴⁰K atoms held in a magnetic trap. These measurements reveal that this fermionic isotope has a large positive s-wave triplet scattering length in addition to a low temperature p-wave shape resonance. We have measured directly the p-wave threshold law which, combined with the Fermi statistics, dramatically suppresses elastic collision rates at low temperatures. In addition, we present initial evaporative cooling results that make possible these collision measurements and are a precursor to achieving quantum degeneracy in this neutral, low-density Fermi system.

Citation

Physical Review Letters

Volume

82

Issue

No. 21

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

atom trapping and cooling, fermions, potassium

Citation

DeMarco, B. , Bohn, J. , Burke, J. , Holland, M. and Jin, D. (1999), Measurement of P-Wave Threshold Law Using Evaporatively Cooled Fermionic Atoms, Physical Review Letters (Accessed October 17, 2025)