title: Spin-Orbit Interactions and Quantum Spin Dynamics in Cold Ion-Atom Collisions.
abstract: We present accurate ab initio and quantum scattering calculations on a prototypical hybrid ion-atom system Yb^{+}-Rb, recently suggested as a promising candidate for the experimental study of open quantum systems, quantum information processing, and quantum simulation. We identify the second-order spin-orbit (SO) interaction as the dominant source of hyperfine relaxation in cold Yb^{+}-Rb collisions. Our results are in good agreement with recent experimental observations [L. Ratschbacher et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 160402 (2013)] of hyperfine relaxation rates of trapped Yb^{+} immersed in an ultracold Rb gas. The calculated rates are 4 times smaller than is predicted by the Langevin capture theory and display a weak T^{-0.3} temperature dependence, indicating significant deviations from statistical behavior. Our analysis underscores the deleterious nature of the SO interaction and implies that light ion-atom combinations such as Yb^{+}-Li should be used to minimize hyperfine relaxation and decoherence of trapped ions in ultracold atomic gases.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Physics Theory Group, Department of Chemistry, and Center for Quantum Information and Quantum Control, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada.|Department of Physics, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA.
authors.forename: Timur V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Tscherbul
authors.affiliation: Chemical Physics Theory Group, Department of Chemistry, and Center for Quantum Information and Quantum Control, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brumer
authors.affiliation: Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, 100 Novaya Street, Skolkovo, Moscow Region 143025, Russia.|Institute of Problems of Chemical Physics RAS, Chernogolovka, Moscow Region 142432, Russia.
authors.forename: Alexei A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Buchachenko