Atom-molecule collisions in an optically trapped gas.
Cold inelastic collisions between confined cesium (Cs) atoms and Cs2 molecules are investigated inside a CO2 laser dipole trap. Inelastic atom-molecule collisions can be observed and measured with a rate coefficient of approximately 2.6 x 10(-11) cm3 s(-1), mainly independent of the molecular rovibrational state populated. Lifetimes of purely atomic and molecular samples are essentially limited by rest gas collisions. The pure molecular trap lifetime ranges 0.3-1 s, 4 times smaller than the atomic one, as is also observed in a pure magnetic trap. We give an estimation of the inelastic molecule-molecule collision rate to be approximately 10(-11) cm3 s(-1).
Laboratoire Aimé Cotton, CNRS, Campus d'Orsay Bâtiment 505, 91405 Orsay, France.
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Zahzam
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Vogt
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Mudrich
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Comparat
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Pillet