No Arabic abstract
A pair of atoms interacts with non-resonant light via its anisotropic polarizability. This effect can be used to tune the scattering properties of the atoms. Although the light-atom interaction varies with interatomic separation as $1/R^{3}$, the effective s-wave potential decreases more rapidly, as $1/R^{4}$ such that the field-dressed scattering length can be determined without any formal difficulty. The scattering dynamics are essentially governed by the long-range part of the interatomic interaction and can thus be accurately described by an asymptotic model [Crubellier et al., New J. Phys. 17, 045020 (2015)]. Here we use the asymptotic model to determine the field-dressed scattering length from the s-wave radial component of a particular threshold wave function. Applying our theory to the scattering of two strontium isotopes, we calculate the variation of the scattering length with the intensity of the non-resonant light. Moreover, we predict the intensities at which the scattering length becomes infinite for any pair of atoms.
We report the calculation of the interspecies scattering length for the sodium-rubidium (Na-Rb) system. We present improved hybrid potentials for the singlet $X^1Sigma^+$ and triplet $a^3Sigma^+$ ground states of the NaRb molecule, and calculate the singlet and triplet scattering lengths $a_{s}$ and $a_{t}$ for the isotopomers $^{23}$Na$^{87}$Rb and $^{23}$Na$^{85}$Rb. Using these values, we assess the prospects for producing a stable two-species Bose-Einstein condensate in the Na-Rb system.
We have measured the deca-triplet s-wave scattering length of the bosonic chromium isotopes $^{52}$Cr and $^{50}$Cr. From the time constants for cross-dimensional thermalization in atomic samples we have determined the magnitudes $|a(^{52}Cr)|=(170 pm 39)a_0$ and $|a(^{50}Cr)|=(40 pm 15)a_0$, where $a_0=0.053nm$. By measuring the rethermalization rate of $^{52}$Cr over a wide temperature range and comparing the temperature dependence with the effective-range theory and single-channel calculations, we have obtained strong evidence that the sign of $a(^{52}Cr)$ is positive. Rescaling our $^{52}$Cr model potential to $^{50}$Cr strongly suggests that $a(^{50}Cr)$ is positive, too.
We report the observation of a novel nonlinear effect in the hard x-ray range. Upon illuminating Fe and Cu metal foils with intense x-ray pulses tuned near their respective K edges, photons at nearly twice the incoming photon energy are emitted. The signal rises quadratically with the incoming intensity, consistent with two-photon excitation. The spectrum of emitted high-energy photons comprises multiple Raman lines that disperse with the incident photon energy. Upon reaching the double K-shell ionization threshold, the signal strength undergoes a marked rise. Above this threshold, the lines cease dispersing, turning into orescence lines with energies much greater than obtainable by single electron transitions, and additional Raman lines appear. We attribute these processes to electron-correlation mediated multielectron transitions involving double-core hole excitation and various two-electron de-excitation processes to a final state involving one or more L and M core-holes.
The S-wave model of electron-hydrogen scattering is evaluated using the convergent close-coupling method with an emphasis on scattering from excited states including an initial state from the target continuum. Convergence is found for discrete excitations and the elastic free-free transition. The latter is particularly interesting given the corresponding potential matrix elements are divergent.
Weakly bound molecules have physical properties without atomic analogues, even as the bond length approaches dissociation. In particular, the internal symmetries of homonuclear diatomic molecules result in formation of two-body superradiant and subradiant excited states. While superradiance has been demonstrated in a variety of systems, subradiance is more elusive due to the inherently weak interaction with the environment. Here we characterize the properties of deeply subradiant molecular states with intrinsic quality factors exceeding $10^{13}$ via precise optical spectroscopy with the longest molecule-light coherent interaction times to date. We find that two competing effects limit the lifetimes of the subradiant molecules, with different asymptotic behaviors. The first is radiative decay via weak magnetic-dipole and electric-quadrupole interactions. We prove that its rate increases quadratically with the bond length, confirming quantum mechanical predictions. The second is nonradiative decay through weak gyroscopic predissociation, with a rate proportional to the vibrational mode spacing and sensitive to short-range physics. This work bridges the gap between atomic and molecular metrology based on lattice-clock techniques, yielding new understanding of long-range interatomic interactions and placing ultracold molecules at the forefront of precision measurements.