title: Measurement of a large chemical reaction rate between ultracold closed-shell 40Ca atoms and open-shell 174Yb+ ions held in a hybrid atom-ion trap.
abstract: Ultracold 174Yb+ ions and 40Ca atoms are confined in a hybrid trap. The charge exchange chemical reaction rate constant between these two species is measured and found to be 4 orders of magnitude larger than recent measurements in other heteronuclear systems. The structure of the CaYb+ molecule is determined and used in a calculation that explains the fast chemical reaction as a consequence of strong radiative charge transfer. A possible explanation is offered for the apparent contradiction between typical theoretical predictions and measurements of the radiative association process in this and other recent experiments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Wade G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Rellergert
authors.forename: Scott T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Svetlana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kotochigova
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petrov
authors.forename: Kuang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Schowalter
authors.forename: Eric R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Hudson