Structure of the Alkali-metal-atom-Strontium molecular ions: towards photoassociation and formation of cold molecular ions

Mireille Aymar (1) , Romain Guérout (2) , Olivier Dulieu (1)

1 LAC - Laboratoire Aimé Cotton
2 LKB (Jussieu) - Laboratoire Kastler Brossel

The potential energy curves, permanent and transition dipole moments, and the static dipolar polarizability, of molecular ions composed of one alkali-metal atom and a Strontium ion are determined with a quantum chemistry approach. The molecular ions are treated as effective two-electron systems and are treated using effective core potentials including core polarization, large gaussian basis sets, and full configuration interaction. In the perspective of upcoming experiments aiming at merging cold atom and cold ion traps, possible paths for radiative charge exchange, photoassociation of a cold Lithium or Rubidium atom and a Strontium ion are discussed, as well as the formation of stable molecular ions.

Mots clés: cold molecules; photoassociation; alkali atom; alkaline-erath atom; diatomic molecules; potential curves; permanent dipole moment

Domaines: Physique Quantique [quant-ph]

Mireille Aymar, Romain Guérout, Olivier Dulieu. Structure of the Alkali-metal-atom-Strontium molecular ions: towards photoassociation and formation of cold molecular ions. 2011. ⟨hal-00569270⟩