Elastic and inelastic properties of weakly bound $s$- and $p$-wave molecules of fermionic atoms that collide with a third atom are investigated. Analysis of calculated collisional properties of $s$-wave dimers of fermions in different spin states permit us to compare and highlight the physical mechanisms that determine the stability of $s$-wave and $p$-wave molecules. In contrast to $s$-wave molecules, the collisional properties of $p$-wave molecules are found to be largely insensitive to variations of the $p$-wave scattering length, and these collisions will usually result in short molecular lifetimes. We also discuss the importance of this result for both theories and experiments involving degenerate Fermi gases.

• Received 18 February 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.77.052709