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Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer

Ab-initio study of the ground and low-lying excited states including the spin-orbit effect of RbBa molecule and laser cooling feasibility

Hela Ladjimi, Wissem Zrafi, Abdul-Rahman Allouche, Hamid Berriche

Published May 18, 2020• 5 citations
Publisher

Abstract

In this work, we present a thorough theoretical structure and spectroscopic study of the ground and low lying excited states of RbBa molecule. High-level ab-initio calculations are performed, using MCSCF/MRCI+Q level of method, based on the effective core potential (ECP) and core-polarization potential (CPP) approach. The potential energy curves, spectroscopic parameters, vibrationnel energy levels of the 16( 2,4 Σ + , 2,4 Π, 2,4 Δ) first electronic states, with respect to the lowest five dissociation limits were calculated. The comparison of the spectroscopic constants of the ground state X 2 Σ + with the available theoretical work, are in good agreement. The study of all the excited states is performed in this work for the first time. Afterwards, the spin-orbit operator is incorporated in valence MRCI calculation using optimized relativistic spin-orbit pseudo-potentials and 33 Ω states are generated and split into Λ-S states. In addition, both relativistic and non relativistic calculations of permanent and transition dipole moments are presented and discussed. Stimulated black body ( T = 300 K) and spontaneous transition rates of vibrational states of X 2 Σ + state were evaluated. The related vibrational lifetimes for RbBa are found to be in order of 10 3 s which is sufficiently large for ultracold experiments. Moreover, the vibrational life-time for the A 2 Σ + ( v’ ) and A 2 П ( v” ) states are measured and the possibility of Laser Cooling for the RbBa molecule is discussed based on Franck–Condon factors calculation of A 2 Σ + ( v’ )→ X 2 Σ + ( v ) and A 2 П( v” ) → X 2 Σ + ( v ) transition. This work represents a significant contribution for experimentalists as it provides efficient information in order to form cold alkali and alkaline-earth RbBa molecules.

DOI
10.1016/j.jqsrt.2020.107069

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In this work, we present a thorough theoretical structure and spectroscopic study of the ground and low lying excited states of RbBa molecule. High-level ab-initio calculations are performed, using MCSCF/MRCI+Q level of method, based on the effective core potential (ECP) and core-polarization potential (CPP) approach. The potential energy curves, spectroscopic parameters, vibrationnel energy levels of the 16( 2,4 Σ + , 2,4 Π, 2,4 Δ) first electronic states, with respect to the lowest five dissociation limits were calculated. The comparison of the spectroscopic constants of the ground state X 2 Σ + with the available theoretical work, are in good agreement. The study of all the excited states is performed in this work for the first time. Afterwards, the spin-orbit operator is incorporated in valence MRCI calculation using optimized relativistic spin-orbit pseudo-potentials and 33 Ω states are generated and split into Λ-S states. In addition, both relativistic and non relativistic calculations of permanent and transition dipole moments are presented and discussed. Stimulated black body ( T = 300 K) and spontaneous transition rates of vibrational states of X 2 Σ + state were evaluated. The related vibrational lifetimes for RbBa are found to be in order of 10 3 s which is sufficiently large for ultracold experiments. Moreover, the vibrational life-time for the A 2 Σ + ( v’ ) and A 2 П ( v” ) states are measured and the possibility of Laser Cooling for the RbBa molecule is discussed based on Franck–Condon factors calculation of A 2 Σ + ( v’ )→ X 2 Σ + ( v ) and A 2 П( v” ) → X 2 Σ + ( v ) transition. This work represents a significant contribution for experimentalists as it provides efficient information in order to form cold alkali and alkaline-earth RbBa molecules.
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In this work, a comprehensive theoretical investigation is carried out to explore the electronic and spectroscopic properties of selected diatomic molecular ions MgRb+ and SrRb+. Using high-level ab initio calculations based on a pseudopotential approach, along with large Gaussian basis sets and full valence configuration interaction (FCI), we accurately determine adiabatic potential energy curves, spectroscopic constants, transition dipole moments (TDMs), and permanent electric dipole moments (PDMs). To deepen our understanding of these systems, we calculate radiative lifetimes for vibrational levels in both ground and low-lying excited electronic states. This includes evaluating spontaneous and stimulated emission rates, as well as the effects of blackbody radiation. We also compute Franck–Condon factors and analyze photoassociation processes for both ions. Furthermore, to explore low-energy collisional dynamics, we investigate elastic scattering in the first excited states (21Σ+) describing the collision between the Ra atom and Mg+ or Sr+ ions. Our findings provide detailed insights into the theoretical electronic structure of these molecular ions, paving the way for future experimental studies in the field of cold and ultracold molecular ion physics.
The spin-forbidden cooling of the LiRb molecule is investigated based on ab initio quantum chemistry calculations. The multireference configuration interaction method is used to generate the potential energy curves (PECs) of the ground state X(1)Σ(+) and the low-lying excited states a(3)Σ(+), B(1)Π, and b(3)Π. The spin-orbit coupling effects for the PECs and the transition dipole moments (TDMs) between the X(1)Σ(+), b(3)Π and a(3)Σ(+) states are also calculated. The analytical functions for the PECs are deduced. The rovibrational energy levels, the spectroscopic parameters and the Franck-Condon factors (FCF) are determined by solving the Schrödinger equation of nuclear movement with the obtained analytical functions. The b(3)Π0 ↔ X(1)Σ(+) and b(3)Π1 ↔ X(1)Σ(+) transitions have highly diagonal distributed FCFs and non-zero TDMs, demonstrating that the LiRb molecule could be a very promising candidate for laser cooling. Therefore, a three-cycle laser cooling scheme for the molecule has been proposed based on these two spin-forbidden transitions. Using the radiative lifetime and linewidth calculated from the obtained TDM functions, we present further analysis of the cooling of LiRb and the corresponding KRb molecule. The transition b(3)Π0 ↔ X(1)Σ(+) is found to be a practical transition to cool the LiRb molecule, and a sub-microkelvin cool temperature could be reached for the KRb molecule using a similar laser cooling scheme.
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We present quantum-chemical calculations for the ground and some low-lying excited states of isolated LiCa and LiSr molecules using multi-state complete active space second-order perturbation theory (MS-CASPT2). The potential energy curves (PECs) and their corresponding spectroscopic constants, obtained at the spin-free (SF) and spin-orbit (SO) levels, agree well with available experimental values. Our SO-MS-CASPT2 calculation at the atomic limit (R = 100 a.u.) with the largest basis set reproduces experimental atomic excitation energies within 3% for both LiCa and LiSr. In addition, permanent dipole moments and transition dipole moments at the SF level are also obtained. Rovibrational calculations of the ground and selected excited states, together with the spontaneous emission rates, demonstrate that the formation of ultracold LiCa and LiSr molecules in low-lying vibrational levels of the electronic ground state may be possible.