Research & Teaching Faculty

Suppression of angular momentum transfer in cold collisions of transition metal atoms in ground states with nonzero orbital angular momentum

TitleSuppression of angular momentum transfer in cold collisions of transition metal atoms in ground states with nonzero orbital angular momentum
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2005
AuthorsHancox, CI, Doret, SC, Hummon, MT, Krems, RV, Doyle, JM
JournalPHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
Volume94
Pagination013201
Date PublishedJAN 14
ISSN0031-9007
Abstract

The Zeeman relaxation rate in cold collisions of Ti(3d(2)4s(2) F-3(2)) with He is measured. We find that collisional transfer of angular momentum is dramatically suppressed due to the presence of the filled 4s(2) shell. The degree of electronic interaction anisotropy, which is responsible for Zeeman relaxation, is estimated to be about 200 times smaller in the Ti-He complex than in He complexes with typical non-S-state atoms.

DOI10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.013201