Observation of cold collisions between trapped ions and trapped atoms.
We study cold collisions between trapped ions and trapped atoms in the semiclassical (Langevin) regime. Using Yb+ ions confined in a Paul trap and Yb atoms in a magneto-optical trap, we investigate charge-exchange collisions of several isotopes over three decades of collision energies down to 3 mueV (k_{B}x35 mK). The minimum measured rate coefficient of 6x10;{-10} cm;{3} s;{-1} is in good agreement with that derived from a Langevin model for an atomic polarizability of 143 a.u.
Grier
Andrew T
AT
Department of Physics, MIT-Harvard Center for Ultracold Atoms, and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Cetina
Marko
M
Orucević
Fedja
F
Vuletić
Vladan
V