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Physical Review Letters

Laser Spectroscopy of Bound NaNe Molecules

Riad Ahmad-Bitar, W. P. Lapatovich, David E. Pritchard, Ingemar Renhorn

Published Dec 26, 1977• 60 citations

Abstract

We have produced the van der Waals molecule NaNe in a supersonic expansion, and have studied the $A^{2}\ensuremath{\Pi}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}X^{2}\ensuremath{\Sigma}$ transition using a single-mode cw dye laser. Using analysis based on isotope shifts and the long-range ${R}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ behavior of the excited-state $A^{2}\ensuremath{\Pi}$ potential, we find its well depth and location to be ${D}_{\mathrm{eA}}=140\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}3$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ at ${\mathcal{r}}_{\mathrm{eA}}=(5.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1){a}_{0}$ and for the $X^{2}\ensuremath{\Sigma}$ ground state, ${D}_{\mathrm{eX}}=8.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.9$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ at ${\mathcal{r}}_{\mathrm{eX}}=(10.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2){a}_{0}$. These results are compared with pseudopotential calculations and several recent line-broadening and collisions experiments.

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.39.1657

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We have produced the van der Waals molecule NaNe in a supersonic expansion, and have studied the

A^{2}\ensuremath{\Pi}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}X^{2}\ensuremath{\Sigma}

transition using a single-mode cw dye laser. Using analysis based on isotope shifts and the long-range

{R}^{\ensuremath{-}6}

behavior of the excited-state

A^{2}\ensuremath{\Pi}

potential, we find its well depth and location to be

{D}_{\mathrm{eA}}=140\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}3

{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}

at

{\mathcal{r}}_{\mathrm{eA}}=(5.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1){a}_{0}

and for the

X^{2}\ensuremath{\Sigma}

ground state,

{D}_{\mathrm{eX}}=8.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.9

{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}

at

{\mathcal{r}}_{\mathrm{eX}}=(10.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2){a}_{0}

. These results are compared with pseudopotential calculations and several recent line-broadening and collisions experiments.

We report high-resolution measurements of the differential cross section for scattering Na in its

3{S}_{\frac{1}{2}}

and

3{P}_{\frac{3}{2}}

states from Ne. A new scheme is used to maintain a high fraction (\ensuremath{\sim}20%) of an atomic beam of Na in the excited state for many radiative lifetimes using a single-mode cw dye laser. The differential cross sections are interpreted to yield interatomic potential curves for both the $X\ensuremath{\Sigma}$ and $A\ensuremath{\Pi}$ states of the NaNe molecule which seriously disagree with recent pseudopotential calculations.

We measure the complete set of transition frequencies necessary to laser cool and trap MgF molecules. Specifically, we report the frequency of multiple low-

J

transitions of the $X{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}}^{+}({v}^{\ensuremath{''}}=0,1)\ensuremath{\rightarrow}A{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Pi}}}_{1/2}({v}^{\ensuremath{'}}=0)$, $X{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}}^{+}({v}^{\ensuremath{''}}=1,2)\ensuremath{\rightarrow}A{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Pi}}}_{1/2}({v}^{\ensuremath{'}}=1)$, and $X{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}}^{+}({v}^{\ensuremath{''}}=1)\ensuremath{\rightarrow}B{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}}^{+}({v}^{\ensuremath{'}}=0)$ bands of MgF. The measured $X{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}}^{+}({v}^{\ensuremath{''}}=1)\ensuremath{\rightarrow}B{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}}^{+}({v}^{\ensuremath{'}}=0)$ spectrum allows the spin-rotation and hyperfine parameters of the $B{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}}^{+}(v=0)$ state of MgF to be determined. Furthermore, we demonstrate optical cycling in MgF by pumping molecules into the $X{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}}^{+}(v=1,2)$ states. Optical pumping enhances the spectroscopic signals of transitions originating in the ${N}^{\ensuremath{''}}=1$ level of the $X{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{2}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}}^{+}({v}^{\ensuremath{''}}=1,2)$ states.

Differential scattering of Na 3S

sub 1

/

sub 2

and 3P

sub 3

/

sub 2

from Ne: Determination of ground- and excited-state potentials for NaNe

We report high-resolution measurements of the differential cross section for scattering Na in its 3S

sub 1

/

sub 2

and 3P

sub 3

/

sub 2

states from Ne. A new scheme is used to maintain a high fraction (approx.20%) of an atomic beam of Na in the excited state for many radiative lifetimes using a single-mode cw dye laser. The differential cross sections are interpreted to yield interatomic potential curves for both the X

Sigma

and APi states of the NaNe molecule which seriously disagree with recent pseudopotential calculations. (AIP)

We study the isotopic dependence of collisional widths and shifts of the Hg clock transition

^1

S

_0

-

^3

P

_0

perturbed by the Rb atoms in the temperature range from 1 nK to 1 K. For this purpose, we model the Born-Oppenheimer effective interaction potential by including the leading long-range van der Waals coefficients. For elastic collisions, we show the connection between the dependence of collision line shape parameters on the reduced mass of colliding partners as well as the variation of the scattering length in the excited and ground states of the Hg-Rb system in the $\upmu$K temperature range. We confront the full quantum scattering calculations with a semi-classical approximation for collisional widths and shifts. We show that the shape resonances in excited and ground scattering states lead to significant variations of collisional line shape parameters with the change of the reduced mass of colliding atoms. We also indicate the possible influence of inelastic collisions, which could lead to universal behavior and significantly affect the dependence of collisional broadening and shifting on the isotopic combination of colliding atoms.