Ultracold RbSr Molecules Can Be Formed by Magnetoassociation

Żuchowski, PS; Aldegunde, J; Hutson, JM

Abstract

We investigate the interactions between ultracold alkali-metal atoms and closed-shell atoms using electronic structure calculations on the prototype system Rb+Sr. There are molecular bound states that can be tuned across atomic thresholds with a magnetic field and previously neglected terms in the collision Hamiltonian that can produce zero-energy Feshbach resonances with significant widths. The largest effect comes from the interaction-induced variation of the Rb hyperfine coupling. The resonances may be used to form paramagnetic polar molecules if the magnetic field can be controlled precisely enough.

Citation

Żuchowski, P., Aldegunde, J., & Hutson, J. (2010). Ultracold RbSr Molecules Can Be Formed by Magnetoassociation. Physical Review Letters, 105(15), Article 153201. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.105.153201

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Oct 1, 2010
• Deposit Date: Feb 2, 2012
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 10, 2013
• Journal: Physical Review Letters
• Print ISSN: 0031-9007
• Electronic ISSN: 1079-7114
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 105
• Issue: 15
• Article Number: 153201
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.105.153201