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arXiv · 1903.11526

Probing Nonlocal Spatial Correlations in Quantum Gases with Ultra-long-range Rydberg Molecules

J. D. Whalen·S. K. Kanungo·R. Ding·M. Wagner·R. Schmidt·H. R. Sadeghpour·S. Yoshida·J. Burgdörfer·F. B. Dunning·T. C. Killian
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Abstract

We present photo-excitation of ultra-long-range Rydberg molecules as a probe of spatial correlations in quantum gases. Rydberg molecules can be created with well-defined internuclear spacing, set by the radius of the outer lobe of the Rydberg electron wavefunction $R_n$. By varying the principal quantum number $n$ of the target Rydberg state, the molecular excitation rate can be used to map the pair-correlation function of the trapped gas $g^{(2)}(R_n)$. We demonstrate this with ultracold Sr gases and probe pair-separation length scales ranging from $R_n = 1400 - 3200$ $a_0$, which are on the order of the thermal de Broglie wavelength for temperatures around 1 $μ$K. We observe bunching for a single-component Bose gas of $^{84}$Sr and anti-bunching due to Pauli exclusion at short distances for a polarized Fermi gas of $^{87}$Sr, revealing the effects of quantum statistics.

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J. D. Whalen, S. K. Kanungo, R. Ding, M. Wagner, R. Schmidt, H. R. Sadeghpour, S. Yoshida, J. Burgdörfer, F. B. Dunning, T. C. Killian. 2019-03-27. Probing Nonlocal Spatial Correlations in Quantum Gases with Ultra-long-range Rydberg Molecules. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.100.011402

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