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arXiv · 2208.12805

Measurement of Rb-Rb van der Waals coefficient via Quantum Diffractive Universality

Riley A. Stewart·Pinrui Shen·James L. Booth·Kirk W. Madison
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Abstract

Collisions between trapped atoms or trapped molecules with room temperature particles in the surrounding vacuum induce loss of the trapped population at a rate proportional to the density of the background gas particles. The total velocity-averaged loss rate coefficient $\langle σ_\mathrm{tot} v \rangle$ for such collisions and the variation of the loss rate with trap depth has been shown to depend only on the long range interaction potential between the collision partners. This collision universality was previously used to realize a self-calibrating, atom-based, primary pressure standard and was validated by indirect comparison with an orifice flow standard. Here, we use collision universality to measure $\langle σ_\mathrm{tot} v \rangle = 6.44(11)(5) \times 10^{-15}~\rm{m^3/s}$ for Rb-Rb collisions and deduce the corresponding $C_6 = 4688(198)(95)~E_ha_0^6$, in excellent agreement with predictions based upon $\textit{ab initio}$ calculated and previously measured $C_6$ values.

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Riley A. Stewart, Pinrui Shen, James L. Booth, Kirk W. Madison. 2022-08-26. Measurement of Rb-Rb van der Waals coefficient via Quantum Diffractive Universality. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.106.052812

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