Experimental Investigation of Ultracold Atom-Molecule Collisions

Journal Article · Fri Jan 20 04:00:00 EST 2006 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.023201· OSTI ID:20775041

Staanum, Peter ^[1]; Kraft, Stephan D; Lange, Joerg; Wester, Roland; Weidemueller, Matthias ^[1]

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1. Physikalisches Institut, Universitaet Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Strasse 3, 79104 Freiburg (Germany)

Ultracold collisions between Cs atoms and Cs{sub 2} dimers in the electronic ground state are observed in an optically trapped gas of atoms and molecules. The Cs{sub 2} molecules are formed in the triplet ground state by cw photoassociation through the outer well of the 0{sub g}{sup -}(P{sub 3/2}) excited electronic state. Inelastic atom-molecule collisions converting internal excitation into kinetic energy lead to a loss of Cs{sub 2} 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 Cs{sub 2} molecules in either highly vibrationally excited states (v{sup '}=32-47) or in low vibrational states (v{sup '}=4-6) of the a {sup 3}{sigma}{sub u}{sup +} triplet ground state. The rate coefficients {beta}{approx}10{sup -10} cm{sup 3}/s are found to be largely independent of the vibrational and rotational excitation indicating unitary limited cross sections.

• OSTI ID: 20775041
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 96; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ATOM-MOLECULE COLLISIONS
ATOMS
CESIUM
COOLING
CROSS SECTIONS
DIMERS
DIPOLES
EXCITATION
GROUND STATES
KINETIC ENERGY
LASERS
MOLECULES
TRAPPING
TRAPS
TRIPLETS
VIBRATIONAL STATES