Inelastic collisions of ultra-cold heteronuclear molecules in an optical trap

TL;DR

This study investigates inelastic collision rates of ultra-cold RbCs molecules with Rb and Cs atoms in an optical trap, revealing how vibrational levels influence scattering and validating a collision model.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed measurements of inelastic collision rates for RbCs molecules across various vibrational states in an optical trap.

Findings

Collision rates vary with vibrational level

A simple model accurately predicts scattering rates

Inelastic collisions are significant for molecule stability

Abstract

Ultra-cold RbCs molecules in high-lying vibrational levels of the a$^3\Sigma^+$ ground electronic state are confined in an optical trap. Inelastic collision rates of these molecules with both Rb and Cs atoms are determined for individual vibrational levels, across an order of magnitude of binding energies. A simple model for the collision process is shown to accurately reproduce the observed scattering rates.