Abstract

Photoassociative spectroscopy using laser cooled atoms proved to be a powerful tool for the determination of atomic properties such as excited state lifetimes and ground state scattering lengths. The most abundant isotopes of alkaline earths show a non-degenerate ground state with no hyperfine splitting, which is expected to simplify their photoassociation spectra to a great extent. This advantage in the theoretical description is paid for by difficulties in the experimental observation of photoassociation. The ensembles of laser cooled alkaline earths are less cold and less dense than those of e.g. alkalines which were used in most of the photoassociation experiments until now.

© 2000 IEEE