Vibrational relaxation of trapped molecules
- Institute for Theoretical Atomic and Molecular Physics, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 (United States)
Vibrational relaxation of trapped molecules due to collisions with cold atoms is investigated using the results of quantum-mechanical scattering calculations. Trap loss is analyzed using an exactly solvable kinetic model that includes direct collisional quenching and an indirect process of vibrational predissociation. At low atom density, the relaxation is due primarily to collisional quenching. At high atom density, the relaxation involves additional time scales due to the formation and decay of van der Waals complexes. It is shown that the most weakly bound state of the van der Waals complex for a given diatomic vibrational level controls the relaxation at all atom densities. Possible experiments using trapped molecules are discussed. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
- OSTI ID:
- 321508
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review A, Journal Name: Physical Review A Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 59; ISSN PLRAAN; ISSN 1050-2947
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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