Ultracold atom-atom collisions in a nonresonant laser field

Phys Rev Lett. 2003 Feb 28;90(8):083202. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.083202. Epub 2003 Feb 26.

Abstract

Using a recently developed approach for treating the three-dimensional anisotropic scattering we find considerable influence of a nonresonant laser field with intensity I> or =10(5) W/cm(2) on the Cs-Cs ultracold collisions. Strong dependence on the laser wavelength lambda(L) is shown at the optical region as lambda(L) becomes shorter than the critical value lambda(0) approximately 3000 nm (of the atomic de Broglie wave lambda) defining the region lambda(0)< or =lambda of the s-wave domination in the absence of the external field. Dependence on the laser polarization is also essential. The found effect can be applicable for controlling atom-atom interactions at ultralow temperatures.