Formation of ultralong-range fermionic Rydberg molecules in 87Sr: role of quantum statistics.

Measurements of ultralong-range Rydberg molecule formation in cold gases of fermionic 87Sr atoms are presented. Measurements undertaken using polarised and unpolarised cold atom samples demonstrate that studies of Rydberg molecule formation can provide a window into the important role played by quantum statistics in determining the pair-correlation function, , and, more generally, can furnish a sensitive probe of spatial correlations in quantum gases that is suitable for use in a number of different applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]