TY - JOUR
T1 - Homonuclear ionizing collisions of laser-cooled metastable helium atoms
AU - Stas, R.J.W.
AU - McNamara, J.M.
AU - Hogervorst, W.
AU - Vassen, W.
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - We present a theoretical and experimental investigation of homonuclear ionizing collisions of laser-cooled metastable (2 S13) helium atoms, considering both the fermionic He3 and bosonic He4 isotopes. The theoretical description combines quantum threshold behavior, Wigner's spin-conservation rule, and quantum-statistical symmetry requirements in a single-channel model, complementing a more complete close-coupling theory that has been reported for collisions of metastable He4 atoms. The model is supported with measurements (in the absence of light fields) of ionization rates in magneto-optically trapped samples that contain about 3× 108 atoms of a single isotope. The ionization rates are determined from measurements of trap loss due to light-assisted collisions combined with comparative measurements of the ion production rate in the absence and presence of trapping light. Theory and experiment show good agreement. © 2006 The American Physical Society.
AB - We present a theoretical and experimental investigation of homonuclear ionizing collisions of laser-cooled metastable (2 S13) helium atoms, considering both the fermionic He3 and bosonic He4 isotopes. The theoretical description combines quantum threshold behavior, Wigner's spin-conservation rule, and quantum-statistical symmetry requirements in a single-channel model, complementing a more complete close-coupling theory that has been reported for collisions of metastable He4 atoms. The model is supported with measurements (in the absence of light fields) of ionization rates in magneto-optically trapped samples that contain about 3× 108 atoms of a single isotope. The ionization rates are determined from measurements of trap loss due to light-assisted collisions combined with comparative measurements of the ion production rate in the absence and presence of trapping light. Theory and experiment show good agreement. © 2006 The American Physical Society.
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevA.73.032713
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevA.73.032713
M3 - Article
SN - 1050-2947
VL - 2006
JO - Physical Review A. Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics
JF - Physical Review A. Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics
IS - 73
M1 - 032713
ER -