198,456 research outputs found
Long range intermolecular forces in triatomic systems: connecting the atom-diatom and atom-atom-atom representations
The long-range forces that act between three atoms are analysed in both
atom-diatom and atom-atom-atom representations. Expressions for atom-diatom
dispersion coefficients are obtained in terms of 3-body nonadditive
coefficients. The anisotropy of atom-diatom C_6 dispersion coefficients arises
primarily from nonadditive triple-dipole and quadruple-dipole forces, while
pairwise-additive forces and nonadditive triple-dipole and
dipole-dipole-quadrupole forces contribute significantly to atom-diatom C_8
coefficients. The resulting expressions are applied to dispersion coefficients
for Li + Li_2 (triplet) and recommendations are made for the best way to obtain
global triatomic potentials that dissociate correctly both to three separated
atoms and to an atom and a diatomic molecule.Comment: To be published in a special issue of Molecular Physics in honour of
Mark Chil
Prismane C_8: A New Form of Carbon?
Our numerical calculations on small carbon clusters point to the existence of
a metastable three-dimensional eight-atom cluster C which has a shape of a
six-atom triangular prism with two excess atoms above and below its bases. We
gave this cluster the name "prismane". The binding energy of the prismane
equals to 5.1 eV/atom, i.e., is 0.45 eV/atom lower than the binding energy of
the stable one-dimensional eight-atom cluster and 2.3 eV/atom lower than the
binding energy of the bulk graphite or diamond. Molecular dynamics simulations
give evidence for a rather high stability of the prismane, the activation
energy for a prismane decay being about 0.8 eV. The prismane lifetime increases
rapidly as the temperature decreases indicating a possibility of experimental
observation of this cluster.Comment: 5 pages (revtex), 3 figures (eps
Polyatomic Molecules Formed with a Rydberg Atom in an Ultracold Environment
We investigate properties of ultralong-range polyatomic molecules formed with
a Rb Rydberg atom and several ground-state atoms whose distance from the
Rydberg atom is of the order of n^2a_0, where n is the principle quantum number
of the Rydberg electron. In particular, we put emphasis on the splitting of the
energy levels, and elucidate the nature of the splitting via the construction
of symmetry-adapted orbitals.Comment: 2 columns, 7 pages, 7 figures. Final verso
High Density Mesoscopic Atom Clouds in a Holographic Atom Trap
We demonstrate the production of micron-sized high density atom clouds of
interest for meso- scopic quantum information processing. We evaporate atoms
from 60 microK, 3x10^14 atoms/cm^3 samples contained in a highly anisotropic
optical lattice formed by interfering di racted beams from a holographic phase
plate. After evaporating to 1 microK by lowering the con ning potential, in
less than a second the atom density reduces to 8x10^13 cm^- 3 at a phase space
density approaching unity. Adiabatic recompression of the atoms then increases
the density to levels in excess of 1x10^15 cm^-3. The resulting clouds are
typically 8 microns in the longest dimension. Such samples are small enough to
enable mesoscopic quantum manipulation using Rydberg blockade and have the high
densities required to investigate new collision phenomena.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to PR
Atom Interferometers
Interference with atomic and molecular matter waves is a rich branch of
atomic physics and quantum optics. It started with atom diffraction from
crystal surfaces and the separated oscillatory fields technique used in atomic
clocks. Atom interferometry is now reaching maturity as a powerful art with
many applications in modern science. In this review we first describe the basic
tools for coherent atom optics including diffraction by nanostructures and
laser light, three-grating interferometers, and double wells on AtomChips. Then
we review scientific advances in a broad range of fields that have resulted
from the application of atom interferometers. These are grouped in three
categories: (1) fundamental quantum science, (2) precision metrology and (3)
atomic and molecular physics. Although some experiments with Bose Einstein
condensates are included, the focus of the review is on linear matter wave
optics, i.e. phenomena where each single atom interferes with itself.Comment: submitted to Reviews of Modern Physic
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