Spin-axis relaxation in spin-exchange collisions of alkali-metal atoms - art. no. 052717

We present calculations of spin-relaxation rates of alkali-metal atoms due to the spin-axis interaction acting in binary collisions between the atoms. We show that for the high-temperature conditions of interest here, the spi n-relaxation rates calculated with classical-path trajectories are nearly t he same as those calculated with the distorted-wave Born approximation. We compare these calculations to recent experiments that used magnetic decoupl ing to isolate spin relaxation clue to binary collisions from that due to t he formation of triplet van der Waals molecules. The values of the spin-axi s coupling coefficients deduced from measurements of binary collision rates are consistent with those deduced from molecular decoupling experiments, a nd follow a physically plausible scaling law for the spin-axis coupling coe fficients.