Title | Collisional decoherence of internal-state superpositions in a trapped ultracold gas |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2010 |
Authors | Hemming, CJ, Krems, RV |
Journal | PHYSICAL REVIEW A |
Volume | 81 |
Pagination | 052701 |
Date Published | MAY |
ISSN | 1050-2947 |
Abstract | We analyze collisional decoherence of atoms or molecules prepared in a coherent superposition of nondegenerate internal states at ultralow temperatures and placed in an ultracold buffer gas. Our analysis is applicable for an arbitrary bath-particle to tracer-particle mass ratio. Both elastic and inelastic collisions contribute to decoherence. We obtain an expression relating the observable decoherence rate to pairwise scattering properties, specifically the scattering lengths and low-temperature scattering amplitudes. We consider the dependence on the bath-particle to tracer-particle mass ratio for the case of light bath and heavy tracer particles. The expressions obtained may be useful in low-temperature applications where accurate estimates of decoherence rates are needed. The results suggest a method for determining the scattering lengths of atoms and molecules in different internal states by measuring decoherence-induced damping of coherent oscillations. |
DOI | 10.1103/PhysRevA.81.052701 |