Rydberg cold collisions dominated by ultralong range potential.
In this work we measure the time evolution of the population resulting from energy-transfer collisions as a function of the energy difference between the entrance and exit collisional channels using a sample of cold Rydberg atoms produced in a rubidium magneto-optical trap. The 34S(1/2) population, produced by collisions between atoms in the 33P(3/2) state, is monitored as a function of time through the pulsed-field ionization technique. The experimental results are compared with a recent published model based on a two-body interaction considering an attractive potential [Phys. Rev. A 65, 023405 (2002)]]; which is calculated according to a recent Letter by Boisseau et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 133004 (2002)]]. The agreement is remarkable, which suggests the existence of such ultralong range potential proposed by Boisseau et al.
de Oliveira
A L
AL
Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, Caixa Postal 369, 13560-970, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.
Mancini
M W
MW
Bagnato
V S
VS
Marcassa
L G
LG