arXiv subjects

Robin Cote

Publications and source records attributed to Robin Cote.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2011

Long range interactions between like homonuclear alkali metal diatoms

Long range electrostatic and van der Waals coefficients up to terms of order R-8 have been evaluated by the sum over states method using ab initio and time dependent density functional theory. We employ several widely used density functionals and systematically investigate the convergence of the calculated results with basis set size. Static electric moments and polarizabilities up to octopole order are also calculated. We present values for Li2 through K2 which are in good agreement with existing values, in addition to new results for Rb2 and Cs2. Interaction potential curves calculated from these results are shown to agree well with high level it ab initio theory.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2002

Macrodimers: ultralong range Rydberg molecules

We study long range interactions between two Rydberg atoms and predict the existence of ultralong range Rydberg dimers with equilibrium distances of many thousand Bohr radii. We calculate the dispersion coefficients $C_{5}$, $C_{6}$ and $C_{8}$ for two rubidium atoms in the same excited level $np$, and find that they scale like $n^{8}$, $n^{11}$ and $n^{15}$, respectively. We show that for certain molecular symmetries, these coefficients lead to long range potential wells that can support molecular bound levels. Such macrodimers would be very sensitive to their environment, and could probe weak interactions. We suggest experiments to detect these macrodimers.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2001

Mesoscopic molecular ions in Bose-Einstein condensates

We study the possible formation of large (mesoscopic) molecular ions in an ultracold degenerate bosonic gas doped with charged particles (ions). We show that the polarization potentials produced by the ionic impurities are capable of capturing hundreds of atoms into loosely bound states. We describe the spontaneous formation of these hollow molecular ions via phonon emission and suggest an optical technique for coherent stimulated transitions of free atoms into a specific bound state. These results open up new interesting possibilities for manipulating tightly confined ensembles.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2000

Driving superfluidity with photoassociation

We theoretically examine photoassociation of a two-component Fermi degenerate gas. Our focus is on adjusting the atom-atom interaction, and thereby increasing the critical temperature of the BCS transition to the superfluid state. In order to avoid spontaneous decay of the molecules, the photoassociating light must be far-off resonance. Very high light intensities are therefore required for effective control of the BCS transition.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2000

Theory of coherent photoassociation of a Bose-Einstein condensate

We study coherent photoassociation, phenomena analogous to coherent optical transients in few-level systems, which may take place in photoassociation of an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate but not in a nondegenerate gas. We develop a second-quantized Hamiltonian to describe photoassociation, and apply the Hamiltonian both in the momentum representation and in the position representation (field theory). Solution of the two-mode problem including only one mode each for the atomic and molecular condensates displays analogs of Rabi oscillations and rapid adiabatic passage. A classical version of the field theory for atoms and molecules is used to demonstrate that, in the presence of photoassociating light, a joint-atom molecule is unstable against growth of density fluctuations. Experimental complications, including spontaneous emission and unwanted "rogue" photodissociation from a photoassociated molecule are analyzed. A two-color Raman scheme is studied as a method to set up an effective two-mode scheme with reduced spontaneous emission losses. We discuss photoassociation rates and photoassociation Rabi frequencies for high-lying vibrational states in alkalis both on the basis of molecular-structure calculations, and by comparing with an experiment [Wynar et al., Science 287, 1016 (2000)].

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv1998

Inter-Condensate Tunneling in Bose-Einstein Condensates with Feshbach Resonances

Recently, effects of Feshbach resonances in atom-atom interactions were observed by varying the external magnetic field of an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). We point out that the quasi-bound molecules created in the intermediate state of the resonance can form a second, molecular condensate. The many-body state of the system is then a hybrid atomic/molecular condensate with inter-condensate tunneling of atom pairs. A sudden variation of the magnetic field results in oscillations of the number of atoms and molecules in their respective condensates, providing a signature of this novel type of quantum tunneling.

cond-mat↗