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arXiv · 2505.10523

Magnetic deflection of high-spin sodium dimers formed on helium nanodroplets

Thomas H. Villers·Benjamin S. Kamerin·Vitaly V. Kresin
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Abstract

Spectroscopic data on alkali-atom dimers residing on the surface of liquid helium nanodroplets have revealed that they are detected primarily in the weakly bound, metastable, spin-triplet state. Here, by measuring the magnetic Stern-Gerlach deflection of a sodium-doped nanodroplet beam, we transparently demonstrate the abundance of high-magnetic-moment dimers. Their electron spins thermalize with the cryogenic superfluid droplets and become fully oriented by the external magnetic field.

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Thomas H. Villers, Benjamin S. Kamerin, Vitaly V. Kresin. 2025-05-15. Magnetic deflection of high-spin sodium dimers formed on helium nanodroplets. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.5c00861

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