Dresden 2011 – scientific programme

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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 4: Ultra-cold atoms, ions and BEC I

Q 4.1: Talk

Monday, March 14, 2011, 10:30–10:45, BAR 106

Scattering of a polarizable atom by an absorbing nanowire — •Martin Fink, Johannes Eiglsperger, Harald Friedrich, and Javier Madroñero — Physik Department (T30a), TU München, Germany

In view of the intense attention currently given to systems involving nanotubes at very low temeratures, we study the fundamental process of scattering a cold, polarizable atom by an infinite cylindrical conducting wire. We formulate a method offering a practicable way of numerically calculating the exact nonretarded electrostatic van der Waals potential with any desired accuracy, see Ref. [1]. Using this method, we are able to calculate numerically the scattering properties for an absorbing nanowire by assuming incoming boundary conditions at the surface. We present calculations, e.g. of the s-wave scattering length which characterizes the behaviour of these properties in the near-threshold region. This is the first calculation of atom-wire scattering, which is based on a theoretically founded potential and on the two-dimensional nature of the problem.

[1] M. Fink et al., Physical Review A 81, 062714 (2010).