Quantum defect theory description of weakly bound levels and Feshbach resonances in LiRb

Abstract

The multichannel quantum defect theory (MQDT) in combination with the frame transformation (FT) approach is applied to model the Fano–Feshbach resonances measured for 7Li87Rb and 6Li87Rb Marzok et al (2009 Phys. Rev. A 79 012717). The MQDT results show a level of accuracy comparable to that of previous models based on direct, fully numerical solutions of the the coupled channel Schrödinger equations. Here, energy levels deduced from 2-photon photoassociation (PA) spectra for 7Li85Rb are assigned by applying the MQDT approach, obtaining the bound state energies for the coupled channel problem. Our results confirm that MQDT yields a compact description of PA observables as well as the Fano–Feshbach resonance positions and widths.