Reactions of ultracold alkali-metal dimers

Zuchowski, Piotr S.; Hutson, Jeremy M.

Abstract

We investigate the energetics of reactions involving pairs of alkali-metal dimers. Atom exchange reactions to form homonuclear dimers are energetically allowed for some but not all of the heteronuclear dimers. We carry out high-level electronic structure calculations on the potential energy surfaces of all the heteronuclear alkali-metal trimers and show that trimer formation reactions are always energetically forbidden for low-lying singlet states of the dimers. The results have important implications for the stability of quantum gases of alkali-metal dimers.

Citation

Zuchowski, P. S., & Hutson, J. M. (2010). Reactions of ultracold alkali-metal dimers. Physical Review A, 81(6), Article 060703. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.81.060703

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2010
• Deposit Date: Jun 19, 2013
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 27, 2013
• Journal: Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
• Print ISSN: 1050-2947
• Electronic ISSN: 1094-1622
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 81
• Issue: 6
• Article Number: 060703
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.81.060703
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1473613