Abstract
We compute the formation rate of a polar molecule, LiH, into the lowest triplet electronic state, , via population of the intermediate excited electronic state, , followed by radiative decay. We find large formation rates into the single rovibrational bound state () of the , which can be explained by the unusually large overlap of its wave function with those of the two upper-most bound levels of the . With conservative parameters, we estimate that over molecules/s could be produced in the single rovibrational level of the state. We also discuss scattering properties of LiH triplet molecules and their relevance to ultracold chemical reactions.
- Received 18 January 2010
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.81.060704
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