Differential scattering of cold molecules in superimposed electric and magnetic fields

Abstract

We present a detailed theoretical study of differential cross sections for inelastic collisions of (2)Sigma molecules in the presence of superimposed electric and magnetic fields. Using rigorous quantum dynamical calculations, we show that the angular dependence of cross sections for Zeeman relaxation in collisions of CaD molecules with He atoms at low temperatures can be significantly modified by electric fields of less than 100 kVcm. Our results suggest that the differential scattering cross sections are more sensitive to the electric field than the averaged integral cross sections. We show that the integral cross sections corresponding to a fixed orientation of the incoming collision flux may exhibit interference effects induced by electric fields.