Characterization of charge-exchange collisions between ultracold Li6 atoms and Ca40+ ions

Abstract

We investigate the energy dependence and the internal-state dependence of the charge-exchange collision cross sections in a mixture of $^6$Li atoms and $^{40}$Ca$^+$ ions in the collision energy range from 0.2 mK to 1 K. Deliberately excited ion micromotion is used to control the collision energy of atoms and ions. The energy dependence of the charge-exchange collision cross section obeys the Langevin model in the temperature range of the current experiment, and the measured magnitude of the cross section is correlated to the internal state of the $^{40}$Ca$^+$ ions. Revealing the relationship between the charge-exchange collision cross sections and the interaction potentials is an important step toward the realization of the full quantum control of the chemical reactions at an ultralow temperature regime.