Collision cross sections for the thermalization of cold gases

Frye, M.D.; Hutson, J.M.

doi:10.1103/physreva.89.052705

Collision cross sections for the thermalization of cold gases

Frye, M.D.; Hutson, J.M.

Authors

M.D. Frye

Professor Jeremy Hutson j.m.hutson@durham.ac.uk
Professor

Abstract

The collision cross section that controls thermalization of gas mixtures is the transport cross section σ(1)η and not the elastic cross section σel. The two are the same for pure s-wave scattering but not when higher partial waves contribute. We investigate the differences between them for prototype atomic mixtures and show that the distinction is important at energies above 100μK for LiYb and 3μK for RbYb and RbCs. For simple systems, both σ(1)η and σel follow universal energy dependence that depends only on the s-wave scattering length when expressed in reduced length and energy units.

Citation

Frye, M., & Hutson, J. (2014). Collision cross sections for the thermalization of cold gases. Physical Review A, 89(5), Article 052705. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.89.052705

Journal Article Type	Article
Publication Date	May 1, 2014
Deposit Date	May 14, 2014
Publicly Available Date	Jul 11, 2014
Journal	Physical Review A
Print ISSN	1050-2947
Electronic ISSN	1094-1622
Publisher	American Physical Society
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	89
Issue	5
Article Number	052705
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.89.052705

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Reprinted with permission from the American Physical Society: Phys. Rev. A 89, 052705 © (2014) by the American Physical Society. Readers may view, browse, and/or download material for temporary copying purposes only, provided these uses are for noncommercial personal purposes. Except as provided by law, this material may not be further reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, adapted, performed, displayed, published, or sold in whole or part, without prior written permission from the American Physical Society.