Direct observation of resonant scattering phase shifts and their energy dependence

We scan the collision energy of two clouds of cesium atoms between 12 and 50  μK in an atomic fountain clock. By directly detecting the difference of s-wave scattering phase shifts, we observe a rapid variation of a scattering phase shift through a series of Feshbach resonances. At the energies we use, resonances that overlap at threshold become resolved. Our statistical phase uncertainty of 8 mrad can be improved in future precision measurements of Feshbach resonances to accurately determine the Cs-Cs interactions, which may provide stringent limits on the time variation of fundamental constants.