We report on the observation of the spin-exchange dynamics of ${}^{171}\mathrm{Yb}$ atoms in the ground state ${}^1{S}_0$ and in the metastable state ${}^3{P}_0$. We implement the mixed-dimensional two-orbital system using near-resonant and magic-wavelength optical lattices, where the ${}^1{S}_0$ and ${}^3{P}_0$ atoms are itinerant in a one-dimensional tube and localized in three dimensions, respectively. By exploiting an optical Stern-Gerlach method, we observe the spin depolarization of the ${}^1{S}_0$ atoms induced by the spin-exchange interaction with the ${}^3{P}_0$ atom. Our work could pave the way to the quantum simulation of the Kondo effect.

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• Cold atoms & matter waves
• Cold gases in optical lattices
• Fermi gases