Zero-energy resonances in ultracold hydrogen sticking to liquid helium films of finite thickness
Phys. Rev. B 113, 035421 – Published 15 January, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/7dnl-4zpp
Abstract
We investigated quantum states of ultracold hydrogen atoms in a combined potential comprising the H-He film interaction in the presence of a substrate and the Earth's gravitational field. We show that the shift and width of the gravitational quantum states are determined by the complex scattering length for the H-He film/substrate potential. We demonstrate that for specific helium film thicknesses above a substrate, zero-energy resonances occur if the combined potential supports a bound state exactly at the threshold. This effect leads to a complete restructuring of the bound states spectrum. The dynamics of gravitational levels as a function of the van der Waals interaction depth—controlled by the helium film thickness—is analyzed. It reveals the critical thicknesses of and , at which resonances appear in the case of the conductive substrate. With imaginary integral operators, we incorporate nonperturbatively the inelastic effects originating from the ripplon coupling. The inelastic effects show dramatic changes in the sticking-coefficient behavior near the critical points. The enhanced sticking coefficients provide a probe for studying critical phenomena and measuring atom-surface interaction parameters with unprecedented sensitivity.
