We compute the formation rate of a polar molecule, LiH, into the lowest triplet electronic state, $a\hspace{0.5em}{}^3{\Sigma }^{+}$, via population of the intermediate excited electronic state, $b\hspace{0.5em}{}^3\Pi$, followed by radiative decay. We find large formation rates into the single rovibrational bound state ($v=0,J=0$) of the $a\hspace{0.5em}{}^3{\Sigma }^{+}$, which can be explained by the unusually large overlap of its wave function with those of the two upper-most bound levels of the $b\hspace{0.5em}{}^3\Pi$. With conservative parameters, we estimate that over $10$${}^4$ molecules/s could be produced in the single rovibrational level of the $a\hspace{0.5em}{}^3{\Sigma }^{+}$ state. We also discuss scattering properties of LiH triplet molecules and their relevance to ultracold chemical reactions.

• Received 18 January 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.81.060704