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Phys. Rev. A 59, R4113 - R4116 (1999)

Collisions of cold magnesium atoms in a weak laser field

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Mette Machholm1,2 *, Paul S. Julienne3, and Kalle-Antti Suominen2,4
1Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
2Ørsted Laboratory, NBIfAFG, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
3National Institute for Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8423, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8423
4Helsinki Institute of Physics, PL 9, FIN-00014 Helsingin yliopisto, Finland

Rapid Communication Received 19 February 1999

We use quantum scattering methods to calculate the light-induced collisional loss of laser-cooled and trapped magnesium atoms for detunings up to 30 atomic linewidths to the red of the 1S0-1P1 cooling transition. Magnesium has no hyperfine structure to complicate the theoretical studies. We evaluate both the radiative and nonradiative mechanisms of trap loss. The radiative escape mechanism via allowed 1Σu excitation is dominant for more than about one atomic linewidth detuning. Molecular vibrational structure due to photoassociative transitions to bound states begins to appear beyond about ten linewidths detuning.


©1999 The American Physical Society

URL: http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevA.59.R4113
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.59.R4113
PACS: 34.50.Rk, 34.10.+x, 32.80.Pj

* Present address: 23 Holland Hill, No. B1-11 Holland Peak, Singapore 278739.

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