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Updated: May 13, 2026

Experimental Methods for Trapping Ions Using Microfabricated Surface Ion Traps
Published on: August 17, 2017
Quantum reactive scattering of ultracold NH(X (3)Σ(-)) radicals in a magnetic trap
Liesbeth M C Janssen1, Ad van der Avoird, Gerrit C Groenenboom
1Radboud University Nijmegen, Institute for Molecules and Materials, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands. ljanssen@science.ru.nl
Abstract:
We investigate the ultracold reaction dynamics of magnetically trapped NH(X (3)Σ(-)) radicals using rigorous quantum scattering calculations involving three coupled potential energy surfaces. We find that the reactive NH+NH cross section is driven by a short-ranged collisional mechanism, and its magnitude is only weakly dependent on magnetic field strength. Unlike most ultracold reactions observed so far, the NH+NH scattering dynamics is nonuniversal. Our results indicate that chemical reactions can cause more trap loss than spin-inelastic NH+NH collisions, making molecular evaporative cooling more difficult than previously anticipated.
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