We have experimentally studied the electronic 3p−>3s excitation of Na atoms attached to 3He droplets by means of laser-induced fluorescence as well as beam depletion spectroscopy. From the similarities of the spectra (width/shift of absorption lines) with these of Na on 4He droplets, we conclude that sodium atoms reside in a ``dimple'' on the droplet surface and that superfluid-related effects are negligible. The experimental results are supported by Density Functional calculations at zero temperature, which confirm the surface location of Na, K and Rb atoms on 3He droplets. In the case of Na, the calculated shift of the excitation spectra for the two isotopes is in good agreement with the experimental data.
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0410696,
title = {Alkali Atoms Attached to $^3$He Nanodroplets},
author = {R. Mayol and F. Ancilotto and M. Barranco and O. Bünermann and M. Pi and F. Stienkemeier},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0410696},
year = {2009}
}