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arXiv · 0802.1222

S-wave and p-wave scattering in a cold gas of Na and Rb atoms

Henni Ouerdane·Michael J. Jamieson
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Abstract

Using improved experimentally based $X{}^1Σ^+$ and $a{}^3Σ^+$ molecular potentials of NaRb, we apply the variable phase method to compute new data for low energy scattering of $^{23}$Na atoms by $^{85}$Rb atoms and $^{87}$Rb atoms. These are the scattering lengths and volumes, numbers of bound states and effective ranges, which we use to obtain the low energy spin-change cross section as functions of the system temperature and the isotope masses. From an analysis of the contributions of s-wave and p-wave scatterings to the elastic cross section we estimate temperatures below which only s-wave scattering is dominant. We compare our quantal results to data obtained from the semiclassical approximation. We supply evidence for the existence of a near zero energy p-wave bound state supported by the singlet molecular potential.

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Henni Ouerdane, Michael J. Jamieson. 2009-01-15. S-wave and p-wave scattering in a cold gas of Na and Rb atoms. https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd%2Fe2009-00042-8

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