Radiative lifetimes of the NaRb C(3)1Σ+ state: experiment and theory

Radiative lifetimes for 2≤v^′≤44 rovibronic C¹Σ⁺ state levels of NaRb and quenching collision cross-sections with Rb atoms have been directly measured in a thermal cell by detecting time resolved laser induced fluorescence after pulsed excitation. Many body multipartitioning theory was applied to calculate C¹Σ⁺-X¹Σ⁺ and C¹Σ⁺-A¹Σ⁺ transition dipole moments. The relevant ab initio matrix elements were converted to the C¹Σ⁺ state radiative lifetimes. The strong spin-orbit A¹Σ⁺∼ b³Π coupling effect on the total C → A transition probabilities and lifetimes of the C¹Σ⁺ state is discussed. The measured radiative lifetimes show a decrease from 61 to 34 ns as the v^′ values increase, the results being in good agreement with calculations. The averaged collisional quenching cross-section value σ=(3±1)×10^-14 cm² was determined for NaRb (C¹Σ⁺) + Rb collisions from the Stern-Volmer plots.     

Asymmetry measurement of the polarized Σ+p elastic scattering and the hyperon-nucleon spin-orbit interaction

In order to study the hyperon-nucleon spin-orbit interaction, asymmetries of the polarized Σ⁺ elastic scattering on protons have been measured. The polarized hyperons were produced through the p(π⁺, K⁺) Σ⁺ reaction in a liquid-scintillator active target, and tracks of Σ⁺p scattering events were recorded with a newly developed track detector named SCITIC (scintillating track image camera). Although analyses of 10 times more data with more sophisticated data-taking systems and more elaborated analyzing tools are under way, data from an early stage of this experiment indicate a large Σ⁺p spin-orbit interaction in contrast to the case of the small ΛN spin-orbit interaction. Received: 27 May 2002 / Accepted: 23 July 2002 / Published online: 19 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: nakai@post.kek.jp Communicated by Th. Walcher     

Spectroscopy of the a3Σu + state and the coupling to the X1Σg + state of K2

We report on high resolution Fourier-transform spectroscopy of fluorescence to the a³Σ_u ⁺ state induced by two-photon or two-step excitation from the X¹Σ_g ⁺ state to the 2³Π_g state in the molecule K₂. These spectroscopic data are combined with recent results of Feshbach resonances and two-color photoassociation spectra for deriving the potential curves of X¹Σ_g ⁺ and a³Σ_u ⁺ up to the asymptote. The precise relative position of the triplet levels with respect to the singlet levels was achieved by including the excitation energies from the X¹Σ_g ⁺ state to the 2³Π_g state and the frequencies of the fluorescence down to the a³Σ_u ⁺ state in the simultaneous fit of both potentials. The derived precise potential curves allow for reliable modeling of cold collisions of pairs of potassium atoms in their ²S ground state. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary Online Material     

Effect of externally injected radiation on amplified spontaneous emission in CO

The effect of externally injected radiation on the two-photon laser-induced amplified spontaneous emission (TP-LIASE) is reported. The wave generated via the same LIASE process in a seeder cell acts as a seeder field for the inverted medium created in a main cell. A nearly tenfold gain is achieved in the B¹ Σ ⁺ ?A¹ Π (0, 3) transition of the CO molecule. We demonstrate that the single rotational transition in the B¹ Σ ⁺ ?A¹ Π (0, 4) band is selectively amplified by injection of laser radiation. This pump and seed arrangement facilitates detection of molecular spectra by simply tuning the seed-laser frequency. The polarization effect of the input laser radiation is briefly discussed. Received: 9 June 2000 / Revised version: 2 October 2000 / Published online: 21 February 2001     

Multiquark picture for Σ (1620)

In this work we report on a new QCD sum rule analysis to predict masses of the excited baryon states (e.g. Σ (1620) and Λ (1405)) by using multiquark interpolating fields ((qˉq)(qqq)). For the Σ (1620) we consider the ˉKN, πΣ, and πΛ (I = 1) multiquark interpolating fields. The calculated mass from those multiquark states is about 1.592 GeV. For the Λ (1405) we first show the result using the π⁺Σ⁻+π⁰Σ⁰+π⁻Σ⁺ (I = 0) multiquark interpolating field, and compare the calculated mass to that of our previous result using the π⁰Σ⁰ multiquark state. We then show that the mass 1.405 GeV is well reproduced when using the ˉKN (I = 0) multiquark state. The uncertainties in our sum rules are also discussed. Received: 7 September 1998 / Revised version: 5 January 2000     

Visualisation of a supersonic free-jet expansion using laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy: Application to the measurement of rate constants at ultralow temperatures

2 Σ⁺, v^′=0) by air at 26±4 K. A value of 2.56±0.40×10^-10 molecule^-1 cm³ s^-1 was obtained, a factor of more than four higher than at room temperature, and consistent with attractive forces dominating the quenching of OH(A²Σ⁺). A d etailed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of the supersonic free-jet expansion was performed, providing a two-dimensional visualisation of temperature and density variations throughout the expansion. The CFD calculations reproduced the salient features of the experimental temperature and density profiles along the centreline. Comparison between experiment and computation has allowed validation of CFD codes. Received: 31 January 1997/Revised version: 24 March 1997     

K0πand K*0Σ+ photoproduction off the proton

The exclusive reactions γp → K ^*0Σ⁺(1189) and γp → K ⁰π⁰Σ⁺(1189) , leading to the p 4π⁰ final state, have been measured with a tagged photon beam for incident energies from threshold up to 2.5GeV. The experiment has been performed at the tagged photon facility of the ELSA accelerator (Bonn). The Crystal Barrel and TAPS detectors were combined to a photon detector system of almost 4π geometrical acceptance. Differential and total cross-sections are reported. At energies close to the threshold, a flat angular distribution has been observed for the reaction γp → K ⁰π⁰Σ⁺ suggesting dominant s -channel production. Σ^*(1385) and higher-lying hyperon states have been observed. An enhancement in the forward direction in the angular distributions of the reaction γp → K ^*0Σ⁺ indicates a t -channel exchange contribution to the reaction mechanism. The experimental data are in reasonable agreement with recent theoretical predictions.     

Cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy with a rapidly swept diode laser

Cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy is explained in terms of the transmission function of a rapidly swept interferometer, and the integrated transmission is shown to be proportional to the cavity ringdown time. The technique is demonstrated on the b¹Σ_g ⁺-X³Σ_g ^-  (1,0) band in molecular oxygen at 687 nm using a tunable diode laser and a relative-ly high-Q optical cavity (finesse ≈4000). A detection limit of 3×10^-8 cm^-1 s^1/2 is achieved for a 0.8 cm^-1 scanning range. Received: 24 June 2002 / Revised version: 5 August 2002 / Published online: 15 November 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +44-1865/275410, E-mail: peverall@physchem.ox.ac.uk     

Λ(1405) as a multiquark state

In the QCD sum rule approach we predict the Λ (1405) mass by choosing the π⁰Σ⁰ multiquark interpolating field. It is found that the mass is about 1.419 GeV from Π₁ (q ²) sum rule which is more reliable than Π_q (q ²) sum rule, where Π_q (q ²) and Π₁ (q ²) are two invariant functions of the correlator Π (q ²). We also present the sum rules for the K ⁺ p and the π⁺Σ⁺ multiquark states, and compare to those for the π⁰Σ⁰ multiquark state. The mass of the Λ (1600) can be also reproduced in our approach. Received: 11 November 1997 / Revised version: 28 April 1998     

On polarization of strange baryons in reactions p + p↦p + Λ0 + K+ and p + p↦p + Σ0 + K+ near thresholds

Polarization properties of strange baryons produced in pp reactions, p + p↦p + Λ⁰ + K⁺ and p + p↦p + Σ⁰ + K⁺, near thresholds of the final states pΛ⁰K⁺ and pΣ⁰K⁺ are analysed relative to polarizations of colliding protons. The cross-sections for pp reactions are calculated within the effective Lagrangian approach accounting for strong pp rescattering in the initial state of colliding protons with a dominant contribution of the one-pion exchange and strong final-state interaction of daughter hadrons (Eur. Phys. J. A 9, 425 (2000)). Received: 22 October 2001 / Accepted: 14 November 2001     

Echo spectroscopy of atomic dynamics in a Gaussian trap via phase imprints

We present a simultaneous analysis of the X¹ Σ ⁺ and the a³ Σ ⁺ electronic ground states of the NaK molecule. Excitation of the [B ¹ Π, c³ Σ ⁺]-system made it possible to record fluorescence to rovibrational levels of both ground states simultaneously with a Fourier-transform spectrometer. For the first time high lying levels in the triplet state with v = 17 and v = 18 were seen, the highest possible v = 19 for ²³Na-³⁹K was not observed. The joint evaluation of the retrieved data leads to accurate potential energy curves, that describe the experimental data within their experimental uncertainty of 0.005 cm⁻¹. Cold collision properties like scattering length and Feshbach resonance positions are calculated with these potentials and compared to other predictions.     

Phenomenology of the Λ/Σproduction ratio in pp collisions

We show that the recently measured asymmetry in helicity-angle spectra of the Λ-hyperons, produced in the reaction pp → K ⁺Λp reaction, and the energy dependence of the total pp → K ⁺Λp cross-section can be explained consistently by the same Λp final-state interaction. Assuming that there is no final-state interaction in the Σ⁰ p channel, as suggested by the available data for the reaction pp → K ⁺Σ⁰ p, we can also reproduce the energy dependence of the Λ/Σ⁰ production ratio and, in particular, the rather large ratio observed near the reaction thresholds. The nominal ratio of the Λ and Σ⁰ production amplitudes squared, i.e. when disregarding the final-state interaction, turns out to be about 3, which is in line with hyperon production data from proton and nuclear targets available at high energies.     

Time-resolved Stark effect in rapidly varying fields

The cycle-averaged ac Stark effect associated with the ^[ A _]2Σ⁺v^′=2?^[ X _]2Π1/2v^′=0 two-photon absorption of NO at intensities between 7.7 and 15.2 TW cm^-2 has been characterized in real time through a synergic combination of bichromatic laser experiments and quantum-dynamics calculations. Measurements of the fluorescence emitted by the Rydberg ^[ A _]2Σ⁺v^′=2 level as a function of time between Stark and probe components of a bichromatic field exhibit a characteristic evolution in temporal peak structure with Stark-field intensity, which is interpreted in terms of a time-dependent Floquet analysis of the laser–matter interaction. The experimental observations are consistent with a dynamic Stark shift of Δε_s(ω₁,ω₂)≤0.23 eV of the optical transition at these intensities. Received: 18 January 2002 / Revised version: 6 March 2002 / Published online: 24 April 2002     

Detection by two-photon ionization and magnetic trapping of cold Rb2 triplet state molecules

We present detailed experimental spectra and accurate theoretical interpretation of resonance-enhanced two-photon ionization of ultracold rubidium molecules in the 14000–17000 cm^-1 transition energy range. The dimers are formed in a magneto-optical trap by photoassociation followed by radiative decay into the a ³Σ_u⁺ lowest triplet state. The theoretical treatment of the process, which reproduces the main features of the spectra, takes into account the photoassociation and decay steps as well as the resonant ionization through the manifold of intermediate gerade states correlated to the 5S + 4D limit. In particular, the energy of the v=1 level of the potential well has been determined for the first time. In addition, a tight constraint has been put on the position of the a ³Σ_u⁺ repulsive wall. Finally, magnetic trapping of rubidium molecules in the a ³Σ_u⁺ state is demonstrated. Electronic supplementary material Online Material     

Vibrational analysis of Fourier transform spectrum of the A3Π0-X1Σ+ and B3Π1-X1Σ+ transitions of indium monobromide

The emission spectrum of InBr molecule has been recorded in the region 350–400 nm on BOMEM DA8 Fourier transform spectrometer at an apodized resolution of 0.06 cm⁻¹ using microwave excitation technique. About 61 violet degraded and single headed bands have been recorded and are classified into two band systems, viz. A³Π₀-X¹Σ⁺ and B³Π₁-X¹Σ⁺. A few new bands have been observed and are fitted in the vibrational schemes of the two systems. Revised vibrational constants have been determined. The vibrational assignments have been confirmed by observing isotope effect due to InBr⁸¹ in the 30 bands of the A³Π₀-X¹Σ⁺ system and 19 bands of the B³Π₁-X¹Σ⁺ system. The analysis is further supported by calculating the Franck-Condon factor for InBr⁷⁹ and InBr⁸¹ molecules. The following vibrational constants (in cm⁻¹) have been determined from the analysis:      

On the search for a narrow penta-quark Z+-baryon in NN interactions

The possibility for an observation of a narrow penta-quark Z⁺-baryon in NN reactions is discussed. It is shown that the pp↦nΣ⁺ K ⁺ reaction at excess energies around 100 MeV above threshold provides optimal conditions for Z⁺-baryon detection by an analysis of the nK⁺ invariant mass spectrum, if the Z⁺ mass is located around 1.5 GeV involving a rather narrow width. Received: 24 May 2000 / Accepted: 3 August 2000     

Testing the nature of the Λ(1520)-resonance in proton-induced production

The Λ(1520)-resonance has been recently studied in a unitarized coupled-channel formalism with πΣ(1385), KΞ(1530), ˉN and πΣ as constituents blocks. We provide a theoretical study of the predictions of this model in physical observables of the pp → pK⁺K^-p and pp → pK⁺π⁰π⁰Λ reactions. In particular, we show that the ratio between the π⁰π⁰Λ and K^-p mass distributions can provide valuable information on the ratio of the couplings of the Λ(1520)-resonance to πΣ(1385) and ˉN than the theory predicts. Calculations are done for energies which are accessible in an experimental facility like COSY at Jülich or the developing CSR facility at Lanzhou.     

The collisional energy transfer between the D1Π and d3Π states of the NaK dimer induced by argon buffer gas

1 Π→X¹Σ⁺ transitions and the continuum spectrum of d³Π→a³Σ⁺ transitions of the NaK dimer in a heat pipe could be observed in the range of 500–700 nm. The collision-induced enhancement effects of the intensities I_d→a and the quenching effect of the intensities I_D→X by collisions with argon buffer gas at different pressures were measured experimentally. Based on the stationary collisional model and lifetime measurements, the quenching cross sections and cross sections for collision-induced energy transfer between the D¹Π and d³Π states could be estimated. Received: 13 January 1997/Revised version: 20 October 1997