Skip to main content

NOTICE: Due to a lapse in annual appropriations, most of this website is not being updated. Learn more.

Form submissions will still be accepted but will not receive responses at this time. Sections of this site for programs using non-appropriated funds (such as NVLAP) or those that are excepted from the shutdown (such as CHIPS and NVD) will continue to be updated.

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Beyond s-wave scattering for ultracold atoms

Published

Author(s)

Ross A. Williams, Lindsay J. LeBlanc, Karina K. Jimenez Garcia, Matthew C. Beeler, Abigail R. Perry, William D. Phillips, Ian B. Spielman

Abstract

Interactions between particles can be strongly altered by their environment. Here we demonstrate a technique for modifying interactions between ultracold atoms by dressing the bare atomic states with light, creating a screened interaction of vastly increased range that scatters states of higher angular momentum at collision energies where only s-wave scattering would normally be expected. We optically dressed two neutral atomic Bose-Einstein condensates with a pair of lasers – linking together three different internal atomic states – and then collided these condensates with the equal, but opposite, momenta of just two optical photons. In agreement with our theoretical model, the usual s-wave distribution of scattered atoms was altered by the appearance of effective d- and g-wave contributions.
Citation
Science

Keywords

Bose-Einstein Condensates, d-wave, Raman-dressed atoms, screened interactions, ultracold atomic collisions

Citation

Williams, R. , LeBlanc, L. , Jimenez, K. , Beeler, M. , Perry, A. , Phillips, W. and Spielman, I. (2012), Beyond s-wave scattering for ultracold atoms, Science, [online], https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1212652 (Accessed October 10, 2025)

Issues

If you have any questions about this publication or are having problems accessing it, please contact [email protected].

Created January 20, 2012, Updated November 10, 2018
Was this page helpful?