Theory of optical suppression of ultracold-collision rates by polarized light

We have developed a full three-dimensional quantum scattering approach to optical suppression of ultracold-collision rates. These calculations are carried out assuming colliding atoms without fine or hyperfine structure, which have a ¹→¹P transition. The three-dimensional model predicts that the optical suppression of ultracold-collision rates saturates with light intensity much more slowly than predicted by two-level curve-crossing models. Circularly polarized light is significantly more effective for optical suppression, and causes less increase in atomic kinetic energy due to excited-state production than linearly polarized light. The suppressor optical field can also cause orders of magnitude increases in ground-state elastic-scattering rates.