Realization and Characterization of Two Unconventional Ultracold Mixtures
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Realization and characterization of two unconventional ultracold mixtures DISSERTATION by Slava M. Tzanova, MSc. submitted to the Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science, and Physics of the University of Innsbruck, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Innsbruck, June 2020 Advisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Rudolf Grimm Co-advisor: Prof. Dr. Florian E. Schreck Introduction This thesis describes the realization and characterization of the ultracold mixtures Sr-Rb and Dy-K as novel platforms for analogue quantum simulation. The solution of challenging questions in modern physics often relies on a better understanding of collective quantum behavior. Real-world quantum systems and in particular strongly correlated systems are difficult to simulate with a classical computer, yet many of them can be investigated with ultracold quantum gases. At temperatures close to absolute zero the quantum nature of matter becomes important in the atomic clouds. These well-controlled quantum systems can be used to simulate and thus understand other quantum systems and test analytical and numerical theoretical predictions. This thesis presents two complex systems, Sr-Rb and Dy-K. Each of the experiments is breaking new ground in heteronuclear molecules and mass-imbalanced Fermi-Fermi mixtures, respectively. We expand the realm of experimental ultracold research by mixing alkali atoms with alkaline-earth or lanthanide elements. The RbSr molecules are open-shell polar mol- ecules. They have an electric and a magnetic dipole moment and are therefore well suited for quantum simulation. The Dy-K ultracold mixture offers isotopic diversity and is conve- niently imbalanced in mass and optical polarizability for the targeted strongly interacting fermionic mixture experiments. Moreover, dysprosium is a magnetic atom, which brings anisotropic properties to the system and allows for various research directions. My contributions to both experiments are to the experimental preparation and to the char- acterization of the properties of the novel mixtures. In the Sr-Rb experiment I contributed to the realization of a double BEC and to the initial photoassociation investigations of the RbSr molecular potential. Both experimental objectives were published. The Dy-K exper- imental apparatus was designed and constructed from scratch in the course of my thesis. My contributions to the experimental setup have the stability as well as the flexibility of the experiment in mind. After setting up the apparatus, I took part in the initial measurements with thermal samples of Dy-K for the determination of the dysprosium polarizability and later on investigated the elastic and inelastic interaction of a Bose-Fermi Dy-K mixture. Both subjects are necessary findings towards the investigation of strongly interacting Fermi-Fermi mixtures. This thesis is structured in three parts. The first part introduces the field of ultracold atoms and deals with the similarities between both unconventional mixtures. The second part is dedicated to the Sr-Rb experiment and my contributions towards the formation of RbSr open-shell molecules. The third part presents the novel Dy-K experimental apparatus and the first measurements characterizing the properties of this species mixture. Iwilluse the opportunity of reporting on two different mixtures of ultracold gases to highlight the experimental perspectives in this research field. The preparation, manipulation, control and detection of quantum systems are the basic building blocks of quantum simulation. It is important to continue developing the experimental platforms and widen the horizon of available quantum systems for quantum simulations. Contents Introduction 2 I. New platforms for quantum simulation6 1. Quantum simulation with ultracold mixtures8 1.1. Quantum simulation................................8 1.2. Ultracold mixtures................................. 10 1.2.1. Historical perspective........................... 10 1.2.2. Research line: Polar molecules...................... 13 1.2.3. Research line: Fermi-Fermi systems................... 15 2. Experimental realization of quantum systems with ultracold atoms 17 2.1. Ultracold neutral atoms.............................. 17 2.2. Interactions between ultracold atoms....................... 18 2.2.1. s-wave scattering length a ......................... 19 2.2.2. Dipole-dipole interactions......................... 19 2.2.3. Feshbach resonance............................. 20 2.2.4. Atom loss and inelastic collisions..................... 21 2.3. Making and probing ultracold atomic gases................... 22 2.3.1. Laser cooling................................ 22 2.3.2. Narrow lines are cooler........................... 25 2.3.3. Optical trapping.............................. 27 2.3.4. Detection.................................. 30 3. Outlook on the mixtures in this thesis 33 3.1. RbSr open-shell polar molecules.......................... 33 3.1.1. Two-dimensional lattice-spin models................... 33 3.1.2. Interaction tuning in open-shell molecules................ 34 3.2. Dy-K quantum mixtures.............................. 35 3.2.1. Mass-imbalanced Fermi-Fermi....................... 35 3.2.2. Dipolar fermionic systems......................... 37 3.2.3. Dy-K in an optical lattice......................... 38 II. Sr-Rb mixtures 39 4. Properties of Sr and Rb 41 4.1. Why Sr?....................................... 41 4.2. Why Rb?...................................... 43 4.3. Sr-Rb interactions................................. 44 3 5. Sr-Rb machine 46 5.1. Vacuum setup and precooling........................... 46 5.2. Magnetic field coils and control.......................... 49 5.3. Laser systems.................................... 50 5.3.1. Rb lasers.................................. 50 5.3.2. Sr lasers................................... 50 5.3.3. TA comb for spectroscopy......................... 51 5.3.4. Infrared and green optical traps...................... 52 5.4. Loading into traps................................. 52 6. Publication: Quantum degenerate mixtures of strontium and rubidium atoms 53 6.1. Introduction..................................... 54 6.2. Overview of the experimental strategy...................... 55 6.3. Preparation of an ultracold sample of rubidium and strontium......... 55 6.4. Sympathetic narrow-line laser cooling...................... 57 6.5. Evaporation to alkali/alkaline-earth double BECs................ 60 6.5.1. 88Sr-87Rb double BEC........................... 61 6.5.2. 84Sr-87Rb double BEC........................... 61 6.6. Conclusion and outlook.............................. 64 7. Experimental steps towards ground-state RbSr molecules 66 7.1. Photoassociation spectroscopy........................... 66 7.2. Molecule creation.................................. 69 7.3. Conclusion on the Sr-Rb results.......................... 71 III. Dy-K mixtures 73 8. Properties of Dy and K 75 8.1. Why Dy?...................................... 75 8.2. Why K?....................................... 77 8.3. Dy-K interactions.................................. 78 9. Dy-K machine 81 9.1. Design of the experimental setup......................... 81 9.1.1. Main chamber............................... 83 9.1.2. Stability................................... 85 9.1.3. Control................................... 86 9.2. Cold atomic beams: 2D MOT and Zeeman slower................ 87 9.2.1. Potassium 2D MOT design........................ 87 9.2.2. Dy cold-atom–source............................ 90 9.3. Main coils...................................... 94 9.4. Resonant laser systems............................... 101 9.4.1. K lasers................................... 101 9.4.2. Dy lasers.................................. 103 9.5. Experimental outlook............................... 107 9.5.1. Trapping beams and geometry...................... 107 9.5.2. High-resolution imaging.......................... 108 9.5.3. Future Science Cell............................. 108 10.Experimental results 109 10.1. MOTs........................................ 109 10.1.1. Potassium MOT.............................. 110 10.1.2. Dysprosium MOT............................. 113 10.2. Optical dipole traps................................ 117 10.2.1. Loading of ODTs.............................. 118 10.2.2. Determination of Dy polarizability (Publication)............ 120 10.3. 162Dy -40K interactions............................... 121 10.3.1. Feshbach scans............................... 121 10.3.2. 162Dy-40K two-body collisions and thermalization............ 124 10.3.3. Three-body loss in 162Dy-40K....................... 132 Appendices 139 A. Publication: Tapered amplifier laser with frequency-shifted feedback 139 A.1. Introduction..................................... 140 A.2. Experimental setup................................. 140 A.3. Properties of the laser............................... 142 A.3.1. Broadband modeless laser......................... 142 A.3.2. Externally seeded laser........................... 143 A.4. Conclusion and outlook.............................. 146 B. 421 nm laser system for Dy 147 B.1. Laser source..................................... 147 B.2. Laser stabilization................................. 149 C. Overlap density 151 Bibliography 153 Acknowledgments 171 Part I. New platforms for quantum simulation 6 Ultracold mixtures of quantum gases are a unique testbed for fundamental physics. Di- lute atomic samples are prepared by means of laser light and