Low-velocity elastic scattering of Rb-Rb

Abstract

With reference to recent progress in preparing slow and intense Rb beams ({ital rubidium atomic funnel} and {ital low-velocity intense source of atoms from a magneto-optical trap}) we have calculated total and differential elastic scattering cross sections and scattering lengths for ground-state collisions of {sup 85}Rb as well as {sup 87}Rb. Our results are based on the state of the art X{sup 1}{Sigma}{sub g}{sup +} and athinsp{sup 3}{Sigma}{sub u}{sup +} potentials. Pronounced resonances in the total scattering cross sections occur for collision velocities below 15 m/s. We propose scattering experiments with slow Rb beams in order to check the currently known singlet and triplet potential-energy curves. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}