Ultracold Li + Li2 collisions: Bosonic and fermionic cases

Abstract

We have carried out quantum dynamical calculations of vibrational quenching in Li + Li2 collisions for both bosonic 7Li and fermionic 6Li. These are the first ever such calculations involving fermionic atoms. We find that for the low initial vibrational states considered here (v ≤3), the quenching rates are not suppressed for fermionic atoms. This contrasts with the situation found experimentally for molecules formed via Feshbach resonances in very high vibrational states. © 2005 The American Physical Society.