Effects of quantum superposition and interference in spin-dependent photoassociation of 87Rb Bose-Einstein condensates.*

We have studied spin-dependent photoassociation in 87Rb Bose-Einstein condensates both with and without Raman induced spin-momentum coupling. Such Raman induced spin-momentum coupling creates superpositions of the bare m\textunderscore f spin states within the F$=$1 hyperfine manifold of 87Rb. These m\textunderscore f spin superposition states simultaneously access two photoassociation channels, thus opening the possibility to observe quantum interference effects. I will report our experimental results in comparison with a theoretical model considering the interference effects.