Properties of rubidium-argon Van der Waals molecules from the relaxation of polarized Rb atoms

M.A. Bouchiat (1) , J. Brossel (1) , P. Mora , L. Pottier (1)

1 LSH-ENS - Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Hertzienne de l'ENS

Relaxation rate measurements have been performed between 0.1 and 10 G on optically polarized Rb atoms in Argon at pressures ranging from 0.1 to 5 torrs. The relaxation is mainly induced by spin-rotation coupling in RbA Van der Waals molecules. Interpretation of the data gives molecular parameters such as the average spin-rotation constant (γ/h = 0.105 MHz), the molecular lifetime (τ = 4.85 x 10 -8 s at 1 torr) and the constant of mass action for the chemical equilibrium Rb + A ⇌ RbA (κ = 94 Å3/molecule at 300 K).

Mots clés: argon; atomic collision processes; rubidium; rubidium compounds; van der Waals forces

Domaines: Articles anciens

M.A. Bouchiat, J. Brossel, P. Mora, L. Pottier. Properties of rubidium-argon Van der Waals molecules from the relaxation of polarized Rb atoms. Journal de Physique, 1975, 36 (11), pp.1075-1077. ⟨10.1051/jphys:0197500360110107500⟩. ⟨jpa-00208351⟩