Physical Review A
Theory of strong-field light-induced collisional energy transfer in Eu and Sr
Arturo Bambini, S. Geltman
Abstract
The theory of light-induced collisional energy transfer (LICET) in the Eu-Sr system is extended to include all the degenerate M states that occur in the separated-atom basis states. Previous treatments were restricted to only the M=0 substates. Numerical solutions are obtained for the resulting nine-state dynamic coupled system to determine transitions probabilities on a given straight-line path. Intense laser fields of linear and circular polarization are treated. It is found that the full M-state treatment results in dependences on the trajectory orientation angles which are much more complex than in the M=0 treatment. The exact and quasisymmetries involving these orientation angles are described in simple group-theoretic terms. The resulting spectral line shapes (LICET transition cross sections as a function of laser detuning) are seen to have structures that are understood in terms of the coupling matrix elements, as well as appreciable Stark shifts. These shifts, which appear to be an essential outcome of the theory, are not yet seen in measurements of the LICET line shape.