The photoassociative spectroscopy, photoassociative molecule formation, and trapping of ultracold \mathsf{^{39}K^{85}Rb}

We have observed the photoassociative spectra of colliding ultracold ³⁹K and ⁸⁵Rb atoms to produce KRb* in all eight bound electronic states correlating with the ³⁹K (4s) + ⁸⁵Rb(5p _1/2 and 5p _3/2) asymptotes. These electronically excited KRb* ultracold molecules are detected after their radiative decay to the metastable triplet (a state and (in some cases) the singlet (X ground state. The triplet (a ultracold molecules are detected by two-photon ionization at 602.5 nm to form KRb ⁺ , followed by time-of-flight mass spectroscopy. We are able to assign a majority of the spectrum to three states (2(0 ⁺ ), 2(0^-), 2(1)) in a lower triad of states with similar C ₆ values correlating to the K(4s) + Rb (5p _1/2) asymptote; and to five states in an upper triad of three states (3(0 ⁺ ), 3(0^-), 3(1)) and a dyad of two states (4(1), 1(2)), with one set of similar C ₆ values within the upper triad and a different set of similar C ₆ values within the dyad. We are also able to make connection with the short-range spectra of Kasahara et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 111, 8857 (1999)], identifying three of our levels as v = 61, 62 and 63 of the 1 4(1) state they observed. We also argue that ultracold photoassociation to levels between the K(4s) + Rb (5p _3/2) and K(4s) + Rb (5p _1/2) asymptotes may be weakly or strongly predissociated and therefore difficult to observe by ionization of a (or X molecules; we do know from Kasahara et al. that levels of the 1 4(1) and 2 5(1) states in the intra-asymptote region are predissociated. A small fraction ( 1/3) of the triplet (a ultracold molecules formed are trapped in the weak magnetic field of our magneto-optical trap (MOT).Received: 22 September 2004, Published online: 23 November 2004PACS: 33.20.Fb Raman and Rayleigh spectra (including optical scattering) - 34.20.Cf Interatomic potentials and forces - 33.80.Ps Optical cooling of molecules; trapping     

Optical manipulation of long-range interactions at the 3s + 3p asymptote of $\mathsf{Na_2}$

We investigate the influence of a laser field, which is near-resonant to the atomic sodium 3²P_1/2 3²D_3/2 transition, on the last bound levels of the A state in Na₂. In a molecular beam experiment level shifts up to 100 MHz and light induced line broadenings were observed using an optical double resonance excitation scheme. Moreover, the coupling laser can reduce the number of bound levels of the A state by one or more units, which effectively means that in the picture of a collision of a 3²S_1/2 and a 3²P_1/2-atom the scattering phase is altered by more than . The observed effects are interpreted as light induced couplings of the A state, which correlates to the 3s _1/2 + 3p _1/2 asymptote, to the and states at the 3s _1/2 + 3d _3/2 asymptote. We performed multi-channel calculations, applying the mapped Fourier grid method, which reproduce our experimentally observed level shifts well.Received: 7 October 2003, Published online: 21 November 2003PACS:   34.50.Rk Laser-modified scattering and reactions - 33.80.-b Photon interactions with molecules - 42.62.Fi Laser spectroscopy     

Two-step laser optogalvanic spectroscopy of the odd-parity Rydberg states of atomic mercury

We present new experimental data on the highly excited levels in mercury using the two-step laser excitation and optogalvanic detection technique in conjunction with a RF discharge cell. The 6s7s ³S₁ intermediate level has been accessed from the 6s6p ³P₂ metastable level that is collisionally populated in the mercury discharge in the presence of a buffer gas at a pressure of about 1 Torr. Two beams fromtwo different dye lasers pumped with a common excimer laser were passed through the discharge cell containing mercury vapors. The first laser was tuned to 6s7s ³S₁ level whereas the second laser was scanned covering the wavelength region between 544-458 nm. We have observed the 6snp ³P₀ ( ), 6snp ( ), 6snp ( ) and 6snp ) Rydberg series. The 6snp Rydberg series to such high n-value has been reported for the first time. The first ionization potential of mercury is determined from the 6snp Rydberg series as 84184.15 0.05 cm^-1. Some collisionally induced parity forbidden transitions have also been located that are identified as 6sns ( ) series.Received: 5 November 2003, Published online: 20 January 2004PACS: 31.50.-x Potential energy surfaces - 32.30.Jc Visible and ultraviolet spectra - 32.80.Rm Multiphoton ionization and excitation to highly excited states (e.g., Rydberg states)     

Influence of the growth method upon the phase transition of RbCdCl $\mathsf{_{3}}$

Structural properties of two RbCdCl₃ samples grown either from the melt or from aqueous solution are studied via X-ray diffraction over a closed temperature cycle between 20 C and 300 C. During cooling step (300 C), the crystal grown from the melt undergoes a phase transition at 110 C that drives it from the cubic structure into a tetragonal structure that still persists at 20 C. It undergoes exactly the reverse phase transition at the same temperature during the heating ( C) step that immediately follows. The other crystal grows from aqueous solution at 20 C in an orthorhombic structure (i.e. not tetragonal as that of the crystal grown from the melt and cooled down to this temperature). During the heating ( C) step, it undergoes a direct orthorhombic-cubic phase transition at 240 C (without passing through the tetragonal phase) whereas, during subsequent cooling (300 C), it does not exhibit the corresponding reverse phase transition but rather exhibits exactly the same cubic-tetragonal phase transition at 110 C as the crystal grown from the melt. However, for both crystals, this tetragonal phase observed at room temperature is unstable and slowly converts into an orthorhombic phase over the course of time. Complementary Differential Scanning Calorimetry (D.S.C.) and Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (T.G.A.) measurements have been carried out over the range ( ) C in order to interpret diffraction experiments.Received: 19 May 2004, Published online: 30 September 2004PACS: 61.10.Nz X-ray diffraction - 64.70.Kb Solid-solid transitions - 65.40.Ba Heat capacity     

Soft X-ray contact microscopy of nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Soft X-ray Contact Microscopy (SXCM) of Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes with typical length m and diameter m has been performed using the PALS laser source of wavelength m and pulse duration ps. Pulsed soft X-rays were generated using molybdenum and gold targets with laser intensities W/cm². Images have been recorded on PMMA photo resists and analyzed using an atomic force microscope operating in contact mode. Cuticle features and several internal organs have been identified in the SXCM images including lateral field, cuticle annuli, pharynx, and hypodermal and neuronal cell nuclei.Received: 18 February 2004, Published online: 29 June 2004PACS: 42.62.Be Biological and medical applications - 07.85.Tt X-ray microscopes - 87.59.Bh X-ray radiographyA color version of the figures is available in electronic form at .     

Energy dependence of the Λ/Σproduction cross-section ratio in p-p interactions

The production of the - and -hyperons has been measured via the reaction at the internal COSY-11 facility in the excess energy range between 14 and 60 MeV. The transition of the cross-section ratio from about 28 at MeV to the high-energy level of about 2.5 is covered by the data showing a strong decrease of the ratio between 10 and 20 MeV excess energy. Effects from the final-state interactions in the p- channel seem to be much smaller than in the p- channel. Estimates of the effective range parameters are given for the and the systems.PACS: 13.75.-n Hadron-induced low- and intermediate-energy reactions and scattering (energy GeV) - 13.75.Ev Hyperon-nucleon interactions - 13.85.Lg Total cross-sections - 25.40.Ep Inelastic proton scattering     

Hyperfine structure and isotope shift study in singly ionized lead

Hyperfine structure and isotope shifts in five optical transitions: 424.5 nm ( – ), 537.2 nm ( – ), 554.5 nm ( – ), 560.9 nm ( – ) and 666.0 nm ( – ) of Pb  II have been measured. As a light source the discharge tube was used. The hyperfine structure measurements were performed using metallic isotope ²⁰⁷Pb. For isotope shifts measurements natural lead was used. The high resolution spectral apparatus consisted of a silver coated Fabry-Perot etalon and a grating spectrograph combined with a CCD camera used as a detector. In the analysis of the spectra a computer simulation technique was used. The hyperfine structure observations yielded the splitting constants A for seven levels of Pb II. The isotope shift studies enabled to separate the mass and the field shifts and to determine values of changes of the mean square nuclear charge radii.     

Modular construction of special mixed quantum states

For a homogeneous quantum network of N subsystems with n levels each we consider separable generalized Werner states. A generalized Werner state is defined as a mixture of the totally mixed state and an arbitrary pure state : with a mixture coefficient . For this density operator to be separable, will have an upper bound . Below this bound one should alternatively be able to reproduce by a mixture of entirely separable input-states. For this purpose we introduce a set of modules, each contributing elementary coherence properties with respect to a generalized coherence vector. Based on these there exists a general step-by-step mixing process for any . For being a cat-state it is possible to define an optimal process, which produces states right up to the separability boundary ( ).Received: 3 December 2002, Published online: 29 July 2003PACS: 03.65.Ud Entanglement and quantum nonlocality (e.g. EPR paradox, Bells inequalities, GHZ states, etc.) - 03.67.-a Quantum information - 03.65.-w Quantum mechanics     

Measurement of the strange spectral function in hadronic \tau decays

Tau lepton decays with open strangeness in the final state are measured with the OPAL detector at LEP to determine the strange hadronic spectral function of the lepton. The decays , and with final states consisting of neutral and charged kaons and pions have been studied. The invariant mass distributions of of these final states have been experimentally determined. Monte Carlo simulations have been used for the remaining and for the strange final states including mesons. The reconstructed strange final states, corrected for resolution effects and detection efficiencies, yield the strange spectral function of the lepton. The moments of the spectral function and the ratio of strange to non-strange moments, which are important input parameters for theoretical analyses, are determined. Furthermore, the branching fractions and have been measured.Received: 18 February 2004, Revised: 30 April 2004, Published online: 15 June 2004     

Metastable level lifetimes from electron-shelving measurements with ion clouds and single ions

The lifetime of the -level in singly-ionized calcium has been measured by the electron-shelving technique on different samples of rf trapped ions. The metastable state has been directly populated by exciting the dipole-forbidden transition. In ion clouds, the natural lifetime of this metastable level has been measured to be ( ) ms. For the single-ion case, we determined a lifetime of ( ) ms. The -error bars at the 2%-level have different origins for the two kinds of experiments: data fitting methods for lifetime measurements in an ion cloud and control of experimental parameters for a single ion. De-shelving effects are extensively discussed. The influence of differing approaches for the processing of the single-ion quantum jump data on the lifetime values is shown. Comparison with recent measurements shows excellent agreement when evaluated from a given method.Received: 14 November 2003, Published online: 24 February 2004PACS: 32.70.Cs Oscillator strengths, lifetimes, transition moments - 32.80.Pj Optical cooling of atoms, trapping     

Accurate asymptotic ground state potential curves of Cs$\mathsf{_2}$ from two-colour photoassociation

Over 100 high lying level energies of the lowest electronic states and in Cs₂ are determined in a -like scheme two-colour photoassociation spectroscopy. The results are analyzed with a coupled channel model using an asymptotic approach, based on nodal lines. From this analysis we determine the long range dispersion coefficient C₆ to 6846.2 15.6 a.u. We also obtain the first experimental determination of the amplitude of the asymptotic exchange term.Received: 4 November 2003, Published online: 20 January 2004PACS: 34.20.-b Interatomic and intermolecular potentials and forces, potential energy surfaces for collisions - 32.80.Pj Optical cooling of atoms; trapping - 03.65.Ge Solutions of wave equations: bound states     

The stationary properties and the state transition of the tumor cell growth mode

We study the stationary properties and the state transition of the tumor cell growth model (the logistic model) in presence of correlated noises for the case of nonzero correlation time. We derived an approximative Fokker-Planck equation and the stationary probability distribution (SPD) of the model. Based the SPD, we investigated the effects of both correlation strength ( ) and correlation time ( ) of cross-correlated noises on the SPD, the mean of the tumor cell population and the normalized variance ( ) of the system, and calculated the state transition rate of the system between two stable states. Our results indicate that: (i) and play opposite roles in the stationary properties and the state transition of the system, i.e. increase of can produce a smaller mean value of the cell population and slow down the state transition, but increase of can produce a larger mean value of the cell population and enhance state transition; (ii) For large , there a peak structure on both - plot and - plot. For the small , increases with increasing , but increases with decreasing .Received: 26 June 2004, Published online: 30 September 2004PACS: 87.10. + e General theory and mathematical aspects - 05.40.-a Fluctuation phenomena, random processes, noise, and Brownian motion - 02.50.Ey Stochastic processes     

Electron impact excitation of 2p and 3p states of hydrogen at intermediate energies

The recent theoretical work by Bartlett et al. [J. Phys. B 38, L95 (2005)] and the latest measurements on the reduced Stokes parameters , and for 54.4 eV electron impact excitation of the 2p state atomic hydrogen by Williams and Mikosza [J. Phys. B 39, 4113 (2006)] has motivated the present work. A coupled-channel-optical calculation with 9 and 12 atomic states supplemented with the continuum optical potentials for the stronger coupling channels has been performed. The calculated n = 2 and n = 3 differential cross sections and the reduced Stokes parameters are comparable with the state-of-the art calculations. There is closer agreement between the present calculations and the experimental measurements for the reduced Stokes parameters and in the n = 2p excitation at 54.4 eV. The present CCO calculations also display good accord with the limited experimental data for the reduced Stokes parameters in the n=3p excitation.     

Cylindrical symmetry discrimination of magnetoelectric optical systematic effects in a pump-probe atomic parity violation experiment

A pump-probe atomic parity violation (APV) experiment performed in a longitudinal electric field , has the advantage of providing a signal which breaks mirror symmetry but preserves cylindrical symmetry of the set-up, i.e. this signal remains invariant when the pump and probe linear polarizations are simultaneously rotated about their common direction of propagation. The excited vapor acts on the probe beam as a linear dichroic amplifier, imprinting a very specific signature on the detected signal. Our differential polarimeter is oriented to yield a null result unless a chirality of some kind is acting on the excited atoms. Ideally, only the APV ( -odd) and the calibration ( -even) signals should participate in such a chiral atomic response, a situation highly favourable to sensitive detection of a tiny effect. In the present work, we give a thorough analysis of possible undesirable defects such as spurious transverse fields or misalignments, which may spoil the ideal configuration and generate a chiral response leading to possible systematics. We study a possible way to get rid of such defects by performing global rotations of the experiment by incremental angular steps , leaving both stray fields and misalignments unaltered. Our analysis shows that at least two defects are necessary for the -odd polarimeter output to be affected; a modulation in the global rotations reveals the transverse nature of the defects. The harmful systematic effects are those which subsist after we average over four configurations obtained by successive rotations of 45 . They require the presence of a stray transverse electric field. By doing auxiliary atomic measurements made in known, applied, magnetic fields which amplify the systematic effect, it is possible to measure the transverse E-field and to minimize it. Transverse magnetic fields must also be carefully compensated following a similar procedure. We discuss the feasibility of reducing the systematic uncertainty below the one percent level. We also propose statistical correlation tests as diagnoses of the aforementioned systematic effects.Received: 19 November 2003, Published online: 19 February 2004PACS: 32.80.Ys Weak-interaction effects in atoms - 32.60. + i Zeeman and Stark effects - 33.55.Fi Other magnetooptical and electrooptical effects - 42.25.Lc Birefringence     

Lifetime vibrational interference during the NO 1s-1π* resonant excitation studied by the NO+(A 1Π → X 1Σ+) fluorescence

Dispersed fluorescence from fragments formed after the de-excitation of the 1s^-1π^* resonances of N^*O and NO^* has been measured in the spectral range of 118–142 nm. This range is dominated by lines of atomic nitrogen and oxygen fragments and by the bands in the NO⁺ ion which result from the participator Auger decay of the 1s^-1π^* resonances. Ab-initio calculations of the transition probabilities between vibrational levels during the reaction NO N^*O ⇒ NO were used to explain the observed intensity dependence for the fluorescence bands on the exciting-photon energy across the resonances and on both v^′ and v^′′ vibrational quantum numbers. The multiplet structure of the 1s^-1π^* resonance and lifetime vibrational interference explain the observed exciting-photon energy dependence of the fluorescence intensity. A strong spin-orbit coupling between singlet and triplet states of NO⁺ is proposed to reduce additional cascade population of the state via radiative transitions from the and states and to explain remaining differences between measured and calculated integral fluorescence intensities.     

Scale dependent partitioning of one-dimensional aperiodic set diffraction

We give a multiresolution partition of pure point parts of diffraction patterns of one-dimensional aperiodic sets. When an aperiodic set is related to the Golden Ratio, denoted by , it is well known that the pure point part of its diffractive measure is supported by the extension ring of , denoted by . The partition we give is based on the formalism of the so called -integers, denoted by . The set of -integers is a selfsimilar set obeying , . The pure point spectrum is then partitioned with respect to this Russian doll like sequence of subsets . Thus we deduce the partition of the pure point part of the diffractive measure of aperiodic sets.Received: 24 March 2004, Published online: 12 July 2004PACS: 61.44.Br Quasicrystals - 61.10.Dp Theories of diffraction and scattering     

Sum-rule approaches to the elementary excitation spectrum of interacting gases of finite bosons in harmonic potentials

Based on the corrected sum rules and generalized virial identities, we derive an expression for all modes of excitation spectrum of interacting Bose gases at finite atom numbers in axially anisotropic potentials, in terms of the N-body ground state average. Using the variational Gaussian calculation for the ground-state wave function, its explicit analytic formulas are obtained. These results show clearly the dependence of excitation spectrum on the interaction strength parameter and trap geometry parameter for the system with N = 1 through . For and 1 the dependences have simple and intuitive physical interpretations. We compare the low-lying excitation spectra with the existing numerical results and make quantitative predications for future experiments and numerical simulation for higher-lying excitation modes.Received: 18 February 2004, Published online: 20 April 2004PACS: 67.40.Db Quantum statistical theory; ground state, elementary excitations - 67.90. + z Other topics in quantum fluids and solids; liquid and solid helium     

$\mathsf{\sqrt{3}}$ linear structures in the Te/Ni(111) system

Surface structures in the Te/Ni(111) system are revealed by using reflection high-energy electron diffraction combined with X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopies. At a 0.33 mono-layer (ML)-Te/Ni(111) surface, a reversible structural phase transition is observed with a transition temperature T_c of 380 C. The diffraction pattern from the low temperature phase is accompanied by streaks. The high and low temperature phases are characterized by and rectangle, respectively. The mechanism of the phase transition is explained by the order-disorder transition with a rumpled chain model. Both 0.51 ML- and 0.44 ML-Te/Ni(111) surfaces exhibit the complex diffraction patterns accompanied by diffuse streaks. These surface structures are characterized by the rectangle and , respectively. All diffuse streaks obtained at the above surfaces are consistently interpreted in the view of the ill-ordered arrangements of the well-ordered linear chains. It is shown that the linear structure is the key in the Te/Ni(111) system.Received: 1 December 2003, Published online: 20 April 2004PACS: 61.14.Hg Low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) - 68.65.-k Low-dimensional, mesoscopic, and nanoscale systems: structure and nonelectronic properties - 64.60.Cn Order-disorder transformations; statistical mechanics of model systems     

Two-time synchronism and induced synchronization in a Kerr coupler

A pair of interacting Kerr oscillators treated as a master coupler sending chaotic or hyperchaotic signals to its slave copy is considered. We synchronize a with A and b with B through two communication channels and . The effect of synchronization is non-simultaneous, the pairs and have different times of synchronization. It is possible to synchronize an individual pair, for example, when its communication channel is turned off, provided that the second channel for the pair is turned on. The resulted synchronization is termed induced. The efficiencies of the presented synchronization precesses are studied.Received: 20 February 2003, Published online: 29 April 2003PACS: 05.45.Xt Synchronizations; coupled oscillators - 05.45.Pq Numerical simulations of chaotic systems - 42.65.Sf Dynamics of nonlinear optical systems; optical instabilities, optical chaos and complexity, and optical spatio-temporal dynamics     

An analysis of the time-dependent CP asymmetryin $B \to \pi \pi$ decays in the standard model

Measurements of the time-dependent CP-asymmetry in the decay and its charge conjugate by the BELLE and BABAR collaborations currently yield and , characterizing the direct and mixing-induced CP-asymmetries, respectively. We study the implication of these measurements on the CKM phenomenology taking into account the available information in the quark mixing sector. Our analysis leads to the results that the ratio |P _c /T _c | involving the QCD-penguin and tree amplitudes and the related strong phase difference in the decays are quite substantial. Using the isospin symmetry to constrain |P _c /T _c | and , where parameterizes the penguin-induced contribution, we present a fit of the current data including the measurements of and . Our best-fits yield , , , , and . At 68% C.L., the ranges are , , , and . Currently en vogue dynamical approaches to estimate the hadronic matrix elements in decays do not provide a good fit of the current data.Received: 5 April 2004, Published online: 14 July 2004A.Ya. Parkhomenko: On leave of absence from Department of Theoretical Physics, Yaroslavl State University, Sovietskaya 14, 150000 Yaroslavl, Russia.