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Quantum and semiclassical calculations of cold-atom collisions in light fields

Quantum and semiclassical calculations of cold-atom collisions in light fields We derive and apply an optical Bloch equation (OBE) model for describing collisions of ground and excited laser cooled alkali atoms in the presence of near-resonant light. Typically these collisions lead to loss of atoms from traps. We compare the results obtained with a quantum mechanical complex potential treatment, semiclassical Landau-Zener models with decay, and a quantum time-dependent Monte Carlo wave packet (MCWP) calculation. We formulate the OBE method in both adiabatic and diabatic representations. We calculate the laser intensity dependence of collision probabilities and find that the adiabatic OBE results agree quantitatively with those of the MCWP calculation, and qualitatively with the semiclassical Landau-Zener model with delayed decay, but that the complex potential method or the traditional Landau-Zener model fail in the saturation limit. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Physical Review A American Physical Society (APS)

Quantum and semiclassical calculations of cold-atom collisions in light fields

Physical Review A , Volume 57 (5) – May 1, 1998
15 pages

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References (37)

Publisher
American Physical Society (APS)
Copyright
Copyright © 1998 The American Physical Society
ISSN
1094-1622
DOI
10.1103/PhysRevA.57.3724
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

We derive and apply an optical Bloch equation (OBE) model for describing collisions of ground and excited laser cooled alkali atoms in the presence of near-resonant light. Typically these collisions lead to loss of atoms from traps. We compare the results obtained with a quantum mechanical complex potential treatment, semiclassical Landau-Zener models with decay, and a quantum time-dependent Monte Carlo wave packet (MCWP) calculation. We formulate the OBE method in both adiabatic and diabatic representations. We calculate the laser intensity dependence of collision probabilities and find that the adiabatic OBE results agree quantitatively with those of the MCWP calculation, and qualitatively with the semiclassical Landau-Zener model with delayed decay, but that the complex potential method or the traditional Landau-Zener model fail in the saturation limit.

Journal

Physical Review AAmerican Physical Society (APS)

Published: May 1, 1998

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