Quantum theory of ultracold atom-ion collisions

We study atom-ion scattering in the ultracold regime. To this aim, an analytical model based on the multichannel quantum-defect formalism is developed and compared to close-coupled numerical calculations. We investigate the occurrence of magnetic Feshbach resonances, focusing on the specific Ca-40(+)+Na system. The presence of several resonances at experimentally accessible magnetic fields should allow the atom-ion interaction to be precisely tuned. A fully quantum-mechanical study of charge-exchange processes shows that charge-exchange rates should remain small even in the presence of resonance effects. Most of our results can be cast in a system-independent form and are important for the realization of charge-neutral ultracold systems.