The observation of significant dipolar effects in gases of ultracold polar molecules typically demands a strong external electric field to polarize the molecules. We show that, even in the absence of a significant polarization, dipolar effects may play a crucial role in the physics of polar molecules in bilayers, provided that the molecules in each layer are initially prepared in a different rotational state. Then, interlayer dipolar interactions result in a nonlocal swap of the rotational state between molecules in different layers, even for weak applied electric fields. The interlayer scattering due to the dipole-dipole interaction leads to a nontrivial dependence of the swapping rate on density, temperature, interlayer spacing, and population imbalance. For reactive molecules such as KRb, chemical recombination immediately follows a nonlocal swap and dominates the losses even for temperatures well above quantum degeneracy, and hence could be observed under current experimental conditions.

Nonlocal state swapping of polar molecules in bilayers

Recati A;
2011

Abstract

The observation of significant dipolar effects in gases of ultracold polar molecules typically demands a strong external electric field to polarize the molecules. We show that, even in the absence of a significant polarization, dipolar effects may play a crucial role in the physics of polar molecules in bilayers, provided that the molecules in each layer are initially prepared in a different rotational state. Then, interlayer dipolar interactions result in a nonlocal swap of the rotational state between molecules in different layers, even for weak applied electric fields. The interlayer scattering due to the dipole-dipole interaction leads to a nontrivial dependence of the swapping rate on density, temperature, interlayer spacing, and population imbalance. For reactive molecules such as KRb, chemical recombination immediately follows a nonlocal swap and dominates the losses even for temperatures well above quantum degeneracy, and hence could be observed under current experimental conditions.
2011
Istituto Nazionale di Ottica - INO
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14243/176800
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