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arXiv:physics/0203089 · Physical Review A

Collisional dynamics of ultracold OH molecules in an electrostatic field

А. V. Avdeenkov, John L. Bohn

Published Nov 22, 2002• 103 citations
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Abstract

Ultracold collisions of polar OH molecules are considered in the presence of an electrostatic field. The field exerts a strong influence on both elastic and state-changing inelastic collision rate constants, leading to clear experimental signatures that should help disentangle the theory of cold molecule collisions. Based on the collision rates, we discuss the prospects for evaporative cooling of electrostatically trapped OH. We also find that the scattering properties at ultralow temperatures prove to be remarkably independent of the details of the short-range interaction, owing to avoided crossings in the long-range adiabatic potential curves. The behavior of the scattering rate constants is qualitatively understood in terms of a novel set of long-range states of the $[\mathrm{OH}{]}_{2}$ dimer.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.66.052718

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Ultracold collisions of polar OH molecules are considered in the presence of an electrostatic field. The field exerts a strong influence on both elastic and state-changing inelastic collision rate constants, leading to clear experimental signatures that should help disentangle the theory of cold molecule collisions. Based on the collision rates, we discuss the prospects for evaporative cooling of electrostatically trapped OH. We also find that the scattering properties at ultralow temperatures prove to be remarkably independent of the details of the short-range interaction, owing to avoided crossings in the long-range adiabatic potential curves. The behavior of the scattering rate constants is qualitatively understood in terms of a novel set of long-range states of the [OH]2[\mathrm{OH}{]}_{2}[OH]2​ dimer.
The collisional stability of ultracold polar molecules in electrostatic traps is considered. Rate constants for collisions that drive molecules from weak-electric-field-seeking to strong-field-seeking states are estimated using a simple model that emphasizes long-range dipolar forces. The rate constants for collisional losses are found to vary substantially as a function of molecular parameters used in the model, such as dipole moment, mass, and the splitting of the molecular $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$ doublet. Varying these parameters over physically reasonable ranges yields rate constants as low as ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}20} {\mathrm{cm}}^{3}/\mathrm{sec}$ and as high as ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}10} {\mathrm{cm}}^{3}/\mathrm{sec}.$ Nevertheless, the loss rates rise dramatically in the presence of the externally applied trapping electric field. For this reason it is argued that electrostatic traps are likely to be less stable against collisional losses than their magnetic counterparts.
We predict that pairs of polar molecules can be weakly bound together in an ultracold environment, provided that a dc electric field is present. The field that links the molecules together also strongly influences the basic properties of the resulting dimer, such as its binding energy and predissociation lifetime. Because of their long-range character, these dimers will be useful in disentangling cold collision dynamics of polar molecules. As an example, we estimate the microwave photoassociation yield for OH-OH cold collisions.
Collisions of polar $^{1}\ensuremath{\Sigma}$ state molecules at ultralow energies are considered, within a model that accounts for long-range dipole-dipole interactions, plus rotation of the molecules. We predict a substantial suppression of dipole-driven inelastic collisions at high values of the applied electric field, namely, field values of several times ${B}_{0}∕\ensuremath{\mu}$. Here B0{B}_{0}B0​ is the rotational constant, and $\ensuremath{\mu}$ is the electric dipole moment of molecules. The sudden large drop in the inelastic cross section is attributed to the onset of degeneracy between molecular rotational levels, which dramatically alters the scattering Hamiltonian. This capability could, in principle, be used to stabilize ultracold gases against collisional losses.
Collision cross sections and rate constants between two ground-state oxygen molecules are investigated theoretically at translational energies below $\ensuremath{\sim}1$ K and in zero magnetic field. We present calculations for elastic and spin-changing inelastic collision rates for different isotopic combinations of oxygen atoms as a prelude to understanding their collisional stability in ultracold magnetic traps. A numerical analysis has been made in the framework of a rigid-rotor model that accounts fully for the singlet, triplet, and quintet potential-energy surfaces in this system. The results offer insights into the effectiveness of evaporative cooling and the properties of molecular Bose-Einstein condensates, as well as estimates of collisional lifetimes in magnetic traps. Specifically, 17O2{}^{17}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}17O2​ looks like a good candidate for ultracold studies, while 16O2{}^{16}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}16O2​ is unlikely to survive evaporative cooling. Since 17O2{}^{17}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}17O2​ is representative of a wide class of molecules that are paramagnetic in their ground state we conclude that many molecules can be successfully magnetically trapped at ultralow temperatures.
Collisions at ultracold temperatures between ${}^{1}\phantom{\rule{-0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\Sigma}$-state diatomic polar molecules in a circularly polarized microwave field are theoretically analyzed. We demonstrate that elastic and inelastic collisions of polar molecules at ultracold temperatures are affected by an external microwave field and that they are enhanced at resonance frequencies. We show that the collision dynamics of polar molecules in a microwave field is largely determined by the long-range dipole-dipole interaction. Through this interaction, two polar molecules can resonantly exchange internal energy by undergoing a transition between neighboring rotational levels. This process may stabilize the system and enable the successive evaporative cooling of molecules. This paper discusses fermionic polar molecules at ultralow temperatures (1 $\ensuremath{\mu}$K).