Temperature dependence of an Efimov resonance in ${}^{39}\mathrm{K}$

Abstract

Ultracold atomic gases are an important testing ground for understanding few-body physics. In particular, these systems enable a detailed study of the Efimov effect. We use ultracold ${}^{39}\mathrm{K}$ to investigate the temperature dependence of an Efimov resonance. The shape and position of the observed resonance are analyzed by employing an empirical fit, and universal finite-temperature zero-range theory. Both procedures suggest that the resonance position shifts towards lower absolute scattering lengths when approaching the zero-temperature limit. We extrapolate this shift to obtain an estimate of the three-body parameter at zero temperature. A surprising finding of our study is that the resonance becomes less prominent at lower temperatures, which currently lacks a theoretical description and implies physical effects beyond available models. Finally, we present measurements performed near the Feshbach resonance center and discuss the prospects for observing the second Efimov resonance in ${}^{39}\mathrm{K}$.