Reactive scattering calculations for 87Rb+87RbHe → Rb2(3Σu+, v) plus He from ultralow to intermediate energies

We investigate atom-diatom reactive collisions, as a preliminary step, in order to assess the possibility of forming Rb-2 molecules in their lowest triplet electronic state by cold collisions of rubidium atoms on the surface of helium nanodroplets. A simple model related to the well-known Rosen treatment of linear triatomic molecules [N. Rosen, J. Chem. Phys. 1, 319 (1933)] in relative coordinates is used, allowing to estimate reactive probabilities for different values of the total angular momentum. The best available full dimensional potential energy surface [Guillon et al., J. Chem. Phys. 136, 174307 (2012)] is employed through the calculations. Noticeable values of the probabilities in the ultracold regime, which numerically fulfill the Wigner threshold law, support the feasibility of the process. The rubidium dimer is mainly produced at high vibrational states, and the reactivity is more efficient for a bosonic helium partner than when the fermion species is considered. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.