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Ground-state decoherence of lithium atoms by diatomic polar molecules and noble-gas atoms

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Abstract

We report on the ground-state coherence of Li atoms in the vapor of the diatomic polar molecules, LiCl, and in the noble gases, Ne, Ar, and Xe. The decay of spin precession provides insight into the magnetic sublevel decoherence due to spin-rotation and spin-exchange interactions. These interactions are identified by the temperature dependence of sublevel decoherence and evaluated in Ne, Ar, and Xe gases, respectively. The linewidth of coherent population trapping is attributed to a combination of magnetic sublevel and hyperfine-level decoherences. Subtracting the sublevel decoherence, the hyperfine decoherence, indicated by the Carver rate, is obtained in Xe gas. In Ne and Ar gases, the hyperfine decoherence is found to be negligible. When LiCl vapor is added to the noble gases, the polar LiCl molecules broaden both the sublevel and hyperfine resonances of the Li atoms. This broadening is not due to the Carver rate but to spin-rotation interactions with the dilute molecules.

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Acknowledgements

This study was partially funded by JSPS (Grant number 23H01845).

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  1. Graduate School of Science, University of Hyogo, Hyogo, 678-1297, Japan

    Kiyoshi Ishikawa & Mayu Yamamoto

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  1. Kiyoshi Ishikawa
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KI prepared the main manuscript text and figures. MY and KI measured and analyzed the signals

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Correspondence to Kiyoshi Ishikawa.

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Ishikawa, K., Yamamoto, M. Ground-state decoherence of lithium atoms by diatomic polar molecules and noble-gas atoms. Appl. Phys. B 129, 113 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-023-08059-y

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