can greatly exceed the rate coefficient for heating and loss channels due to excited-state spontaneous decay. This implies the feasibility of rapid coherent conversion of atom pairs in a condensate to molecules on a time scale short compared to the trap oscillation time.

DOI: 10.1103/physreva.58.r797

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>{10}^{\ensuremath{-}10} {\mathrm{cm}}^{3}/\mathrm{s},

> 10^{-10} cm^{3}/s,

can greatly exceed the rate coefficient for forming products due to excited state spontaneous decay. This implies the feasibility of rapid coherent conversion of atom pairs in a condensate to molecules on a time scale short compared to the trap oscillation time. The untrapped molecules can form a coherent molecular beam. We will examine the prospects for the experimental realization of photoassociative molecule formation in cold alkali gases or condensates.