Suppression of Zeeman relaxation in cold collisions of {sup 2}P{sub 1/2} atoms
- Harvard-MIT Center for Ultracold Atoms, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 (United States)
- Department of Chemistry, Moscow State University, Moscow 119991 (Russian Federation)
- Department of Physics, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557 (United States)
We present a combined experimental and theoretical study of angular momentum depolarization in cold collisions of {sup 2}P atoms in the presence of an external magnetic field. We show that collision-induced Zeeman relaxation of Ga({sup 2}P{sub 1/2}) and In({sup 2}P{sub 1/2}) atoms in cold {sup 4}He gas is dramatically suppressed compared to atoms in {sup 2}P{sub 3/2} states. Using rigorous quantum-scattering calculations based on ab initio interaction potentials, we demonstrate that Zeeman transitions in collisions of atoms in {sup 2}P{sub 1/2} electronic states occur via couplings to the {sup 2}P{sub 3/2} state induced by the anisotropy of the interaction potential. Our results suggest the feasibility of sympathetic cooling and magnetic trapping of {sup 2}P{sub 1/2}-state atoms, such as halogens, thereby opening up exciting areas of research in precision spectroscopy and cold-controlled chemistry.
- OSTI ID:
- 21316319
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review. A, Vol. 80, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.80.040701; (c) 2009 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1050-2947
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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