Light-assisted ion-neutral reactive processes in the cold regime: radiative molecule formation vs. charge exchange

TL;DR

This study investigates cold ion-atom reactions in hybrid traps, highlighting how light-assisted processes significantly enhance charge exchange and molecule formation, with implications for understanding cold chemistry.

Contribution

It combines experimental and theoretical approaches to elucidate the role of radiative and non-radiative processes in cold ion-atom reactions, emphasizing light-assisted effects.

Findings

Light-assisted processes increase reaction efficiency.

Radiative molecule formation is significant in cold reactions.

Non-adiabatic charge exchange plays a crucial role.

Abstract

We present a combined experimental and theoretical study of cold reactive collisions between laser-cooled Ca+ ions and Rb atoms in an ion-atom hybrid trap. We observe rich chemical dynamics which are interpreted in terms of non-adiabatic and radiative charge exchange as well as radiative molecule formation using high-level electronic structure calculations. We study the role of light-assisted processes and show that the efficiency of the dominant chemical pathways is considerably enhanced in excited reaction channels. Our results illustrate the importance of radiative and non-radiative processes for the cold chemistry occurring in ion-atom hybrid traps.