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Ultracold inelastic collisions in two dimensions

TitleUltracold inelastic collisions in two dimensions
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2008
AuthorsLi, Z, Alyabyshev, SV, Krems, RV
JournalPHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
Volume100
Pagination073202
Date PublishedFEB 22
ISSN0031-9007
Abstract

We show that cross sections for inelastic collisions of ultracold atoms or molecules confined by a harmonic potential have the same energy dependence as in pure 2D geometry. This indicates that chemical reactions and inelastic collisions may be suppressed in an ultracold gas under strong confinement in one dimension. We present a numerical proof of the threshold collision laws in 2D. Our results indicate that inelastic collisions in weak electromagnetic fields may be controlled by varying the orientation of the external field axis with respect to the plane of confinement.

DOI10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.073202