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It's Electrifying: JILA Scientists Use Electric Fields to Control Chemical Reactions of Ultracold Molecules
    
  Schematic depiction of an energy barrier between polar molecules in an ultracold gas. The fully symmetrical barrier (left) arises only between molecules known as fermions, which if identical cannot occupy the same place at the same time. This barrier greatly reduces the likelihood of chemical reactions. When an electric field is applied to the gas, the barrier is modified (right) so its height varies by direction. Molecules that approach each other parallel to the electric field face a lower barrier and are more likely to react. If molecules approach each other perpendicular to the electric field, then the barrier is raised.
*Physics

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April 28, 2010

Reference Number
                                10PHY016

Credit
                                Credit: Brian Neyenhuis/JILA

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