arXiv subjects

Chris H. Greene

Publications and source records attributed to Chris H. Greene.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

arXiv2008

ab initio frame transformation calculations of direct and indirect dissociative recombination rates of HeH+ + e-

The HeH$^+$ cation undergoes dissociative recombination with a free electron to produce neutral He and H fragments. We present calculations using ab initio quantum defects and Fano's rovibrational frame transformation technique, along with the methodology of PRL 89, 263003 (2002), to obtain the recombination rate both in the low-energy (1-300 meV) and high-energy (ca. 0.6 hartree) regions. We obtain very good agreement with experimental results, demonstrating that this relatively simple method is able to reproduce observed rates for both indirect dissociative recombination, driven by rovibrationally autoionizing states in the low-energy region, and direct dissociative recombination, driven by electronically autoionizing Rydberg states attached to higher-energy excited cation channels.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2008

Chemical modeling of L183 (= L134N) : an estimate of the ortho/para H2 ratio

Context. The high degree of deuteration observed in some prestellar cores depends on the ortho-to-para H2 ratio through the H3+ fractionation. Aims. We want to constrain the ortho/para H2 ratio across the L183 prestellar core. This is mandatory to correctly describe the deuter- ation amplification phenomenon in depleted cores such as L183 and to relate the total (ortho+para) H2D+ abundance to the sole ortho-H2D+ column density measurement. Methods. To constrain this ortho/para H2 ratio and derive its profile, we make use of the N2D+ /N2H+ ratio and of the ortho-H2D+ observations performed across the prestellar core. We use two simple chemical models limited to an almost totally depleted core description. New dissociative recombination and trihydrogen cation-dihydrogen reaction rates (including all isotopologues) are presented in this paper and included in our models. Results. We estimate the H2D+ ortho/para ratio in the L183 cloud, and constrain the H2 ortho/para ratio : we show that it is varying across the prestellar core by at least an order of magnitude being still very high (~0.1) in most of the cloud. Our time-dependent model indicates that the prestellar core is presumably older than 1.5-2 x 10^5 years but that it may not be much older. We also show that it has reached its present density only recently and that its contraction from a uniform density cloud can be constrained. Conclusions. A proper understanding of deuteration chemistry cannot be attained without taking into account the whole ortho/para family of molecular hydrogen and trihydrogen cation isotopologues as their relations are of utmost importance in the global scheme. Tracing the ortho/para H2 ratio should also give useful constraints on the dynamical evolution of prestellar cores.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

Four-body legacy of the Efimov effect

Armed with a new solution to the four-body problem, we reanalyze the recent Innsbruck observation of an Efimov resonance in three-body collisions of cesium atoms, and show that it provides evidence of new, universal four-body physics as well. Our theoretical treatment of four bosonic atoms in the limit of strong two-body attraction suggests a ubiquitous result: namely, that resonantly-bound states of all four atoms should occur whenever the two-body scattering length is a specific fraction (0.43) of the value where a three-body Efimov resonance occurs. A hitherto unanalyzed feature in the 2006 Innsbruck experiment supports this universal prediction, and it provides the first known evidence to date that a direct four-body recombination process plays a role. While we confirm the conclusion reached previously by some studies that no true Efimov effect exists for four particles, we demonstrate the existence of a universal class of four-body states that are intimately connected with three-body Efimov states.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2008

Indirect dissociative recombination of LiH$_2^+$ + e$^-$

We present the results of calculations determining the cross sections for indirect dissociative recombination of LiH$_2^+$ + $e^-$. These calculations employ multichannel quantum defect theory and Fano's rovibrational frame transformation technique to obtain the indirect DR cross section in the manner described by Ref.\cite{hamilton}. We use \textit{ab initio} electron-molecule scattering codes to calculate quantum defects. In contrast to H$_3^+$, the LiH$_2^+$ molecule exhibits considerable mixing between rotation and vibration; however, by incorporating an exact treatment of the rovibrational dynamics of the LiH$_2^+$, we show that this mixing has only a small effect on the observed DR rate. We calculate a large DR rate for this cation, 4.0 $\times$ 10$^{-7}$ cm$^{3}$ s$^{-1}$ at 1 meV incident electron energy.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2008

The short-range three-body phase and other issues impacting the observation of Efimov physics in ultracold quantum gases

We discuss several issues important for experimentally observing Efimov physics in ultracold quantum gases. By numerically solving the three-boson Schrödinger equation over a broad range of scattering lengths and energies, and by including model potentials with multiple bound states, we address the complications of relating experimental observations to available analytic expressions. These more realistic potentials introduce features that can mask the predicted Efimov physics at small scattering lengths. They also allow us to verify that positive and negative scattering lengths are universally connected only across a pole, not across a zero. Additionally, we show that the spacing between Efimov features for the relatively small scattering lengths accessible experimentally fail to precisely follow the geometric progression expected for Efimov physics. Finally, we emphasize the importance of the short-range three-body physics in determining the position of Efimov features and show that theoretically reproducing two-body physics is not generally sufficient to predict three-body properties quantitatively.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2008

Theoretical rate of dissociative recombination of HCO$^{+}$ and DCO$^{+}$ ions

The article presents an improved theoretical description of dissociative recombination of HCO$^+$ and DCO$^+$ ions with a low energy electron. In the previous theoretical study (Phys. Rev. A {\bf 74}, 032707) on HCO$^+$, the vibrational motion along the CO coordinate was neglected. Here, all vibrational degrees of freedom, including the CO stretch coordinate, are taken into account. The theoretical dissociative recombination cross-section obtained is similar to the previous theoretical result at low collision energies ($<$0.1 eV) but somewhat larger at higher ($>$0.1 eV) energies. Therefore, the present study suggests that motion along the CO coordinate does not play a significant role in the process at low collision energies. The theoretical cross-section is still approximately 2-3 times lower than the data from a recent merged-beam experiment.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2008

Limits of the Plane Wave Approximation in the Measurement of Molecular Properties

Rescattering electrons offer great potential as probes of molecular properties on ultrafast timescales. The most famous example is molecular tomography, in which high harmonic spectra of oriented molecules are mapped to ``tomographic images'' of the relevant molecular orbitals. The accuracy of such reconstructions may be greatly affected by the distortion of scattering wavefunctions from their asymptotic forms due to interactions with the parent ion. We investigate the validity of the commonly used plane wave approximation in molecular tomography, showing how such distortions affect the resulting orbital reconstructions.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2008

Ultracold atom-molecule collisions with fermionic atoms

Elastic and inelastic properties of weakly bound s- and p-wave molecules of fermionic atoms that collide with a third atom are investigated. Analysis of calculated collisional properties of s-wave dimers of fermions in different spin states permit us to compare and highlight the physical mechanisms that determine the stability of s-wave and p-wave molecules. In contrast to s-wave molecules, the collisional properties of p-wave molecules are found to be largely insensitive to variations of the p-wave scattering length and that these collisions will usually result in short molecular lifetimes. We also discuss the importance of this result for both theories and experiments involving degenerate Fermi gases.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2008

Stability of Inhomogeneous Multi-Component Fermi Gases

Two-component equal-mass Fermi gases, in which unlike atoms interact through a short-range two-body potential and like atoms do not interact, are stable even when the interspecies s-wave scattering length becomes infinitely large. Solving the many-body Schroedinger equation within a hyperspherical framework and by Monte Carlo techniques, this paper investigates how the properties of trapped two-component gases change if a third or fourth component are added. If all interspecies scattering lengths are equal and negative, our calculations suggest that both three- and four-component Fermi gases become unstable for a certain critical set of parameters. The relevant length scale associated with the collapse is set by the interspecies scattering length and we argue that the collapse is, similar to the collapse of an attractive trapped Bose gas, a many-body phenomenon. Furthermore, we consider a three-component Fermi gas in which two interspecies scattering lengths are negative while the other interspecies scattering length is zero. In this case, the stability of the Fermi system is predicted to depend appreciably on the range of the underlying two-body potential. We find parameter combinations for which the system appears to become unstable for a finite negative scattering length and parameter combinations for which the system appears to be made up of weakly-bound trimers that consist of one fermion of each species.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2008

Energetics and Structural Properties of Trapped Two-Component Fermi Gases

Using two different numerical methods, we study the behavior of two-component Fermi gases interacting through short-range s-wave interactions in a harmonic trap. A correlated Gaussian basis-set expansion technique is used to determine the energies and structural properties, i.e., the radial one-body densities and pair distribution functions, for small systems with either even or odd $N$, as functions of the s-wave scattering length and the mass ratio $κ$ of the two species. Particular emphasis is put on a discussion of the angular momentum of the system in the BEC-BCS crossover regime. At unitarity, the excitation spectrum of the four-particle system with total angular momentum L=0 is calculated as a function of the mass ratio $κ$. The results are analyzed from a hyperspherical perspective, which offers new insights into the problem. Additionally, fixed-node diffusion Monte Carlo calculations are performed for equal-mass Fermi gases with up to N=30 atoms. We focus on the odd-even oscillations of the ground state energy of the equal-mass unitary system having up to N=30 particles, which are related to the excitation gap of the system. Furthermore, we present a detailed analysis of the structural properties of these systems.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2008

Efimov states embedded in the three-body continuum

We consider a multichannel generalization of the Fermi pseudopotential to model low-energy atom-atom interactions near a magnetically tunable Feshbach resonance, and calculate the adiabatic hyperspherical potential curves for a system of three such interacting atoms. In particular, our model suggests the existence of a series of quasi-bound Efimov states attached to excited three-body thresholds, far above open channel collision energies. We discuss the conditions under which such states may be supported, and identify which interaction parameters limit the lifetime of these states. We speculate that it may be possible to observe these states using spectroscopic methods, perhaps allowing for the measurement of multiple Efimov resonances for the first time.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2007

Universal properties of a trapped two-component Fermi gas at unitarity

We treat the trapped two-component Fermi system, in which unlike fermions interact through a two-body short-range potential having no bound state but an infinite scattering length. By accurately solving the Schroedinger equation for up to N=6 fermions, we show that no many-body bound states exist other than those bound by the trapping potential, and we demonstrate unique universal properties of the system: Certain excitation frequencies are separated by $2\hbarω$, the wavefunctions agree with analytical predictions and a virial theorem is fulfilled. Further calculations up to N=30 determine the excitation gap, an experimentally accessible universal quantity, and it agrees with recent predictions based on a density functional approach.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2007

Femtosecond induced transparency and absorption in the extreme ultraviolet by coherent coupling of the He 2s2p (1P0) and 2p2 (1Se) double excitation states with 800 nm light

Femtosecond high-order harmonic transient absorption spectroscopy is used to observe electromagnetically induced transparency-like behavior as well as induced absorption in the extreme ultraviolet by laser dressing of the He 2s2p (1Po) and 2p2 (1Se) double excitation states with an intense 800 nm field. Probing in the vicinity of the 1s2 \to 2s2p transition at 60.15 eV reveals the formation of an Autler-Townes doublet due to coherent coupling of the double excitation states. Qualitative agreement with the experimental spectra is obtained only when optical field ionization of both double excitation states into the N = 2 continuum is included in the theoretical model. Because the Fano q-parameter of the unperturbed probe transition is finite, the laser-dressed He atom exhibits both enhanced transparency and absorption at negative and positive probe energy detunings, respectively.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2007

Diffraction in low-energy electron scattering from DNA: bridging gas phase and solid state theory

Using high-quality gas phase electron scattering calculations and multiple scattering theory, we attempt to gain insights on the radiation damage to DNA induced by secondary low-energy electrons in the condensed phase, and to bridge the existing gap with the gas phase theory and experiments. The origin of different resonant features (arising from single molecules or diffraction) is discussed and the calculations are compared to existing experiments in thin films.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2007

Recombination of H3+ Ions in the Afterglow of a He-Ar-H2 Plasma

Recombination of H3+ with electrons was studied in a low temperature plasma in helium. The plasma recombination rate is driven by two body, H3+ + e, and three-body, H3+ + e + He, processes with the rate coefficients 7.5x10^{-8}cm3/s and 2.8x10^{-25}cm6/s correspondingly at 260K. The two-body rate coefficient is in excellent agreement with results from storage ring experiments and theoretical calculations. We suggest that the three-body recombination involves formation of highly excited Rydberg neutral H3 followed by an l- or m- changing collision with He. Plasma electron spectroscopy indicates the presence of H3.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2007

Spectrum and Dynamics of the BCS-BEC crossover from a few-body perspective

The spectrum of two spin-up and two spin-down fermions in a trap is calculated using a correlated gaussian basis throughout the range of the BCS-BEC crossover. These accurate calculations provide a few-body solution to the crossover problem. This solution is used to study the time-evolution of the system as the scattering length is changed, mimicking experiments with Fermi gases near Fano-Feshbach resonances. The structure of avoiding crossings in the spectrum allow us to understand the dynamics of the system as a sequence of Landau-Zener transitions. Finally, we propose a ramping scheme to study atom-molecule coherence.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2007

Dissociative recombination of H3+ in the ground and excited vibrational states

The article presents calculated dissociative recombination (DR) rate coefficients for H+3 . The previous theoretical work on H+3 was performed using the adiabatic hyperspherical approximation to calculate the target ion vibrational states and it considered just a limited number of ionic rotational states. In this study, we use accurate vibrational wave functions and a larger number of possible rotational states of the H3+ ground vibrational level. The DR rate coefficient obtained is found to agree better with the experimental data from storage-ring experiments than the previous theoretical calculation. We present evidence that excited rotational states could be playing an important role in those experiments for collision energies above 10 meV. The DR rate coefficients calculated separately for ortho- and para-H3+ are predicted to differ significantly at low energy, a result consistent with a recent experiment. We also present DR rate coefficients for vibrationally-excited initial states of H3+, which are found to be somewhat larger than the rate coefficient for the ground vibrational level.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2007

Hyperspherical approach to the four-body problem

The four-particle system is the simplest few-body system containing the fundamental physics involved in ultracold fermionic gases. We have made recent efforts to solve the quantum four-body problem in the adiabatic hyperspherical representation. Our approach yields a set of coupled potential curves that can in turn be solved for all elastic and inelastic processes. These rates may play an important role in the lifetime of molecules in ultracold fermi gases. We believe this will lead to a deeper understanding of ultracold fermi systems and the physics of the BCS-BEC crossover.

cond-mat.other↗