Inelastic collisions of ultracold heteronuclear molecules in an optical trap

Abstract

Ultracold RbCs molecules in high-lying vibrational levels of the a3Σ+ ground electronic state are confined in an optical trap. Inelastic collision rates of these molecules with both Rb and Cs atoms are determined for individual vibrational levels, across an order of magnitude of binding energies. The long-range dispersion coefficients for the collision process are calculated and used in a model that accurately reproduce the observed scattering rates. © 2008 The American Physical Society.