Effects of a static electric field on two-color photoassociation between different atoms

Debashree Chakraborty,Bimalendu Deb

doi:10.1063/1.4864057

Debashree Chakraborty, Bimalendu Deb

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4864057

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Abstract

We study non-perturbative effects of a static electric field on two-color photoassociation of different atoms. A static electric field induces anisotropy in scattering between two different atoms and hybridizes field-free rotational states of heteronuclear dimers or polar molecules. In a previous paper [D. Chakraborty et al., J. Phys. B 44, 095201 (2011)], the effects of a static electric field on one-color photoassociation between different atoms has been described through field-modified ground-state scattering states, neglecting electric field effects on heteronuclear diatomic bound states. To study the effects of a static electric field on heteronuclear bound states, and the resulting influence on Raman-type two-color photoassociation between different atoms in the presence of a static electric field, we develop a non-perturbative numerical method to calculate static electric field-dressed heteronuclear bound states. We show that the static electric field induced scattering anisotropy as well as hybridization of rotational states strongly influence two-color photoassociation spectra, leading to significant enhancement in PA rate and large shift. In particular, for static electric field strengths of a few hundred kV/cm, two-color PA rate involving high-lying bound states in electronic ground-state increases by several orders of magnitude even in the weak photoassociative coupling regime.

Highlights

Continuum and bound states between different atoms can be readily manipulated with a static electric field
We show that the static electric field induced scattering anisotropy as well as hybridization of rotational states strongly influence two-color photoassociation spectra, leading to significant enhancement in PA rate and large shift
A static electric field can interact with the permanent dipole moment of the collision complex or the diatomic molecule formed from two different atoms

Summary

Introduction

Continuum and bound states between different atoms can be readily manipulated with a static electric field. A static electric field can interact with the permanent dipole moment of the collision complex or the diatomic molecule formed from two different atoms. It has been shown that due to their permanent electric dipole moment, the response of heteronuclear molecules to an external electric field is stronger than the response of homonuclear molecules.[1,2] With the recent advancement in the production of cold polar molecules,[4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12] manipulation of continuum of scattering states as well as bound states between cold atoms with both static and dynamic electromagnetic fields is of prime importance. Various methods of coherent control of PA have been theoretically discussed in a recent review by Koch and Shapiro.[13]

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