Measurement and modeling of hyperfine- and rotation-induced state mixing in large weakly bound sodium dimers

Journal Article · Sun May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2005 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.71.052703· OSTI ID:20717756

Tiesinga, Eite; Jones, Kevin M; Lett, Paul D; Volz, Udo; Williams, Carl J; Julienne, Paul S ^[1]

---

1. Atomic Physics Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8423, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899 (United States)

We present high-precision trap loss spectroscopy of excited Na{sub 2} molecules obtained by the photoassociation of ultracold sodium atoms. Near the 3 {sup 2}S+3 {sup 2}P{sub 3/2} dissociation limit, hyperfine and rotational (Coriolis-type) interactions cause significant mixing of states of different nominal Hund's case (c) symmetry resulting in a complex pattern of spectral lines. We construct a theoretical model of the large, slowly rotating molecule starting from a long-range, atomic viewpoint. Interaction potentials are derived from the known long-range resonant dipole and van der Waals forces between atoms, supplemented at short range by the results of ab initio electronic-structure calculations. Spin-dependent interactions coupling the various angular momenta--nuclear spin, electron spin, electron orbit, and the mechanical rotation of the molecule as a whole--are derived from known atomic parameters. We avoid imposing approximate symmetries or coupling schemes and consequently include all nonadiabatic mixing of different degrees of freedom. Quantitative agreement between experiment and theory for both line positions and intensities is found. Specifically, we observe and calculate mixing of levels of 0{sub g}{sup -}, 0{sub u}{sup +}, and 1{sub g} symmetry bound by <50 GHz below the 3 {sup 2}S+3 {sup 2}P{sub 3/2} asymptote.

• OSTI ID: 20717756
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Vol. 71, Issue 5; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.71.052703; (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1050-2947
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
ATOMS
DEGREES OF FREEDOM
DIMERS
DIPOLES
DISSOCIATION
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
ELECTRONS
GHZ RANGE
MOLECULES
PHOTON-MOLECULE COLLISIONS
POTENTIALS
RADIATION PRESSURE
ROTATION
ROTATIONAL STATES
SODIUM
SODIUM SULFIDES
SPIN
SYMMETRY
TRAPS
VAN DER WAALS FORCES