Experimental investigation of ultracold atom-molecule collisions

Ultracold collisions between Cs atoms and Cs2 dimers in the electronic ground state are observed in an optically trapped gas of atoms and molecules. The Cs2 molecules are formed in the triplet ground state by cw photoassociation through the outer well of the 0-(g) (P3/2) excited electronic state. In...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2006-01, Vol.96 (2), p.023201-023201
Main Authors: Staanum, Peter, Kraft, Stephan D, Lange, Jörg, Wester, Roland, Weidemüller, Matthias
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ATOM-MOLECULE COLLISIONS
ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ATOMS
CESIUM
COOLING
CROSS SECTIONS
DIMERS
DIPOLES
EXCITATION
GROUND STATES
KINETIC ENERGY
LASERS
MOLECULES
TRAPPING
TRAPS
TRIPLETS
VIBRATIONAL STATES
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Ultracold collisions between Cs atoms and Cs2 dimers in the electronic ground state are observed in an optically trapped gas of atoms and molecules. The Cs2 molecules are formed in the triplet ground state by cw photoassociation through the outer well of the 0-(g) (P3/2) excited electronic state. Inelastic atom-molecule collisions converting internal excitation into kinetic energy lead to a loss of Cs2 molecules from the dipole trap. Rate coefficients are determined for collisions involving Cs atoms in either the F=3 or F=4 hyperfine ground state, and Cs2 molecules in either highly vibrationally excited states (nu'=32-47) or in low vibrational states (nu'=4-6) of the a3 summation(u)+ triplet ground state. The rate coefficients beta approximately 10(-10) cm3/s are found to be largely independent of the vibrational and rotational excitation indicating unitary limited cross sections.
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.023201