Observation of Feshbach resonances between ultracold Na and Rb atoms

Abstract

We have successfully prepared an optically trapped ultracold mixture of $^{23}$Na and $^{87}$Rb atoms and studied their interspecies Feshbach resonances. Using two different spin combinations, several s-wave and p-wave resonances are identified by observing a high inelastic loss and a temperature rising for both species near resonant magnetic field values. The two s-wave resonances observed below 500 G between atoms in the lowest energy level are possible candidates for Feshbach molecule association. Our results are well characterized by a coupled-channel model and are used refining the ground state interaction potentials between $^{23}$Na and $^{87}$Rb. This work opens up the prospect for preparing ultracold ensembles of ground-state bosonic NaRb molecules which are chemically stable and can provide strong dipolar interactions.