Eur. Phys. J. D 64, 21-26 (2011)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2011-20143-y

Regular Article

NaXe potentials from interference structures in optical collisions

¹ Institut für Gravitationsphysik, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 30167 Hannover, Germany
² Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, 85748 Garching, Germany

^a e-mail: jgrosser@ceres.amp.uni-hannover.de

Received: 5 March 2011
Received in final form: 9 June 2011
Published online: 29 July 2011

Abstract

Experimental differential cross sections for the optical collision process Na(3s)²S + Xe + hν → Na(3p)²P + Xe are presented. By comparison with the results of accurate quantum calculations, the observed oscillatory structure is used to investigate the X²Σ and B²Σ potential curves of the NaXe van der Waals molecule. The repulsive branches of both curves are probed in addition to the binding minimum of the ground state. A value of 92 cm^-1 is obtained for the dissociation energy.