Slow Thermalization Between a Lattice and Free Bose Gas

Using a 3D spin-dependent optical lattice, we study thermalization and energy exchange between two ultracold Bose gases, one of which is bound to the lattice and another that is free from the lattice potential. Disruption of inter-species thermalization is revealed through measurements of condensate fraction after the lattice is superimposed on the parabolic confining potential. By selectively heating the lattice-bound species and measuring the rate of heat transfer to the free state, suppression of energy exchange is observed. Comparison with a Fermi's golden rule prediction confirms that this effect is caused by a dispersion mismatch that reduces the phase space available for elastic collisions. This result has critical implications for methods proposed to cool strongly correlated lattice gases.