Ultracold Li + Li_2 collisions: bosonic and fermionic cases

TL;DR

This paper presents quantum dynamical calculations of vibrational quenching in ultracold lithium atom and molecule collisions, highlighting differences between bosonic and fermionic isotopes at low vibrational states.

Contribution

First quantum dynamical calculations of vibrational quenching in Li + Li_2 collisions involving fermionic atoms, revealing non-suppressed rates at low vibrational states.

Findings

Quenching rates are not suppressed for fermionic 6Li at low vibrational states.

Contrasts with experimental results for high vibrational states formed via Feshbach resonances.

First such calculations for fermionic atom-molecule collisions.

Abstract

We have carried out quantum dynamical calculations of vibrational quenching in Li + Li_2 collisions for both bosonic 7Li and fermionic 6Li. These are the first ever such calculations involving fermionic atoms. We find that for the low initial vibrational states considered here (v less than or equal to 3), the quenching rates are not suppressed for fermionic atoms. This contrasts with the situation found experimentally for molecules formed via Feshbach resonances in very high vibrational states.