Ab initio electronic structure and prospects for the formation of ultracold calcium–alkali-metal-atom molecular ions

Abstract

Abstract Experiments with cold ion–atom mixtures have recently opened the way for the production and application of ultracold molecular ions. Here, in a comparative study, we theoretically investigate ground and several excited electronic states and prospects for the formation of molecular ions composed of a calcium ion and an alkali-metal atom: CaAlk+ (Alk = Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs). We use a quantum chemistry approach based on non-empirical pseudopotentials, operatorial core-valence correlation, large Gaussian basis sets, and full configuration interaction method for valence electrons. Adiabatic potential energy curves, spectroscopic constants, and transition and permanent electric dipole moments are determined and analyzed for the ground and excited electronic states. We examine the prospects for ion-neutral reactive processes and the production of molecular ions via spontaneous radiative association and laser-induced photoassociation. After that, spontaneous and stimulated blackbody radiation transition rates are calculated and used to obtain radiative lifetimes of vibrational states of the ground and first-excited electronic states. The present results pave the way for the formation and spectroscopy of calcium–alkali-metal-atom molecular ions in modern experiments with cold ion–atom mixtures.