Spin-orbit interactions and quantum spin dynamics in cold ion-atom collisions

Abstract

We present accurate ab initio and quantum scattering calculations on a prototypical hybrid ion-atom system Yb${}^{+}$-Rb, recently suggested as a promising candidate for the experimental study of open quantum systems, quantum information processing, and quantum simulation. We identify the second-oder spin-orbit (SO) interaction as the dominant source of hyperfine relaxation and decoherence in cold Yb${}^{+}$-Rb collisions. Our results are in good agreement with recent experimental observations [L. Ratschbacher et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 160402 (2013)] of hyperfine relaxation rates of trapped Yb${}^{+}$ immersed in an ultracold Rb gas. The calculated rates are 4 times smaller than predicted by the Langevin capture theory and display a weak $T^{-0.3}$ temperature dependence, indicating significant deviations from statistical behavior. Our analysis underscores the deleterious nature of the SO interaction and implies that light ion-atom combinations such as Yb${}^{+}$-Li should be used to minimize hyperfine relaxation and decoherence of trapped ions in ultracold atomic gases.

5 pages, 3 figures

References in corpus (13)

• Quantum Computing
• Bose-Einstein condensation of chromium
• A trapped single ion inside a Bose-Einstein condensate
• Controlling chemical reactions of a single particle
• Quantum theory of ultracold atom-ion collisions
• Cold heteronuclear atom-ion collisions
• Universal properties in ultracold ion-atom interactions
• Cold interactions between an Yb${}^{+}$ ion and a Li atom: Prospects for sympathetic cooling, radiative association, and Feshbach resonances
• Sympathetic cooling of the Ba${}^{+}$ ion by collisions with ultracold Rb atoms: theoretical prospects
• Avoided crossings between bound states of ultracold Cesium dimers
• Quantum Langevin model for exoergic ion-molecule reactions and inelastic processes
• Monitoring approach to open quantum dynamics using scattering theory
• Ultracold, radiative charge transfer in hybrid Yb ion - Rb atom traps

Cited by in corpus (20)

• Cold hybrid ion-atom systems
• Observation of Feshbach resonances between a single ion and ultracold atoms
• Observation of collisions between cold Li atoms and Yb${}^{+}$ ions
• Dynamics of a single ion spin impurity in a spin-polarized atomic bath
• 3D Sisyphus Cooling of Trapped Ions
• Phase-locking between different partial-waves in atom-ion spin-exchange collisions
• Quantum Simulation of Abelian Lattice Gauge Theories via State-Dependent Hopping
• Quantum-Logic Detection of Chemical Reactions
• Quantum-limited thermometry of a Fermi gas with a charged spin particle
• Impact of ion motion on atom-ion confinement-induced resonances in hybrid traps
• Ultracold ion-atom experiments: cooling, chemistry, and quantum effects
• Compound atom-ion Josephson junction: Effects of finite temperature and ion motion
• Strong angular-momentum mixing in ultracold atom-ion excitation-exchange
• Charge transfer in ultracold gases via Feshbach resonances
• Exploring atom-ion Feshbach resonances below the s-wave limit
• Phonon-mediated quantum gates in trapped ions coupled to an ultracold atomic gas
• Quantum suppression of cold reactions far from the s-wave energy limit
• Thermal Atom-Ion Collisions in K-Yb${}^{+}$ Hybrid System
• Spin controlled atom-ion inelastic collisions
• Semiclassical Spin Exchange via Temperature-Dependent Transition States