Rydberg trimers and excited dimers bound by internal quantum reflection

Phys Rev Lett. 2010 Oct 15;105(16):163201. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.163201. Epub 2010 Oct 12.

Abstract

In a combined experimental and theoretical effort we report on two novel types of ultracold long-range Rydberg molecules. First, we demonstrate the creation of triatomic molecules of one Rydberg atom and two ground-state atoms in a single-step photoassociation. Second, we assign a series of excited dimer states that are bound by a so far unexplored mechanism based on internal quantum reflection at a steep potential drop. The properties of the Rydberg molecules identified in this work qualify them as prototypes for a new type of chemistry at ultracold temperatures.