Observation of anomalous spin segregation in a trapped Fermi gas.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
We report the observation of spin segregation, i.e., time-dependent separation of the spin density profiles of two spin states, in a trapped, coherently prepared Fermi gas of 6Li with a magnetically tunable scattering length a12 close to zero. For |a12| approximately = 5 bohr, as the cloud profiles evolve, the measured difference in the densities at the cloud center increases in 200 ms from 0 to approximately = 60% of the initial mean density and changes sign with a12. The data are in disagreement in both amplitude and temporal evolution with a spin-wave theory for a Fermi gas. In contrast, for a Bose gas, an analogous theory has successfully described previous observations of spin segregation. The observed segregated atomic density profiles are far from equilibrium, yet they persist for approximately = 5 s, long compared to the axial trapping period of 6.9 ms. We find the zero crossing in a12=0, where spin segregation ceases, at 527.5+/-0.2 G.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Du, X; Luo, L; Clancy, B; Thomas, JE
Published Date
- October 2008
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 101 / 15
Start / End Page
- 150401 -
PubMed ID
- 18999574
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1079-7114
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 0031-9007
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1103/physrevlett.101.150401
Language
- eng