https://doi.org/10.1007/s100530050576
Cold inelastic collisions between lithium and cesium in a two-species magneto-optical trap
Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, 69029
Heidelberg, Germany
Received:
28
December
1998
Revised:
16
February
1999
Published online: 15 October 1999
We investigate collisional properties of lithium and cesium which are simultaneously confined in a combined magneto-optical trap. Trap-loss collisions between the two species are comprehensively studied. Different inelastic collision channels are identified, and inter-species rate coefficients as well as cross-sections are determined. It is found that loss rates are independent of the optical excitation of Li, as a consequence of the repulsive Li*-Cs interaction. Li and Cs loss by inelastic inter-species collisions can completely be attributed to processes involving optically excited cesium (fine-structure changing collisions and radiative escape). By lowering the trap depth for Li, an additional loss channel of Li is observed which results from ground-state Li-Cs collisions changing the hyperfine state of cesium.
PACS: 34.50.Rk – Laser-modified scattering and reactions / 32.80.Pj – Optical cooling of atoms; trapping
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 1999