title: Triplet scattering lengths for rubidium and their role in Bose-Einstein condensation.
abstract: The triplet scattering lengths of 85Rb and 87Rb are evaluated as a function of C6 using a potential whose short-range form is fitted to an ab initio result. This is combined with a previous analysis of photoassociation measurements, which allows the determination of bounds on C6 and the scattering amplitudes to give sharper bounds for these quantities. Questions are raised about the use of scattering length as the sole atomic parameter in the description of Bose-Einstein condensates.
authors.affiliation: JILA, University of Colorado and National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO 80309-0440, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geltman
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bambini