What is it about?
Gaseous atoms such as rubidium can be used to measure very small magnetic fields. In this work the interactions of an atom of rubidium with small molecules is modelled using quantum mechanics. The small molecules represent the coatings on the inside surface of a cell that contains the gaseous atoms. The molecules can help preserve the lifetimes of excited states of the gaseous atoms.
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Why is it important?
The work aims to help the design and fabrication of devices that can be used to measure magnetic fields. Specifically, the choice of molecule used to coat the inside surface of a cell that contains the gaseous atoms in a device called a magnetometer.
Perspectives
The work applies quantum mechanics to better understand the interactions between gaseous atoms (in this case rubidium, a group 1 element in the periodic table) and small molecules, to assist and interpret experimental results on the use of different cell wall coatings in magnetometers.
David Rogers
University of Nottingham
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Modeling interactions between rubidium atom and magnetometer cell wall molecules, The Journal of Chemical Physics, July 2024, American Institute of Physics,
DOI: 10.1063/5.0201903.
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