11,306 research outputs found
Half Cycle Pulse Train Induced State Redistribution of Rydberg Atoms
Population transfer between low lying Rydberg states independent of the
initial state is realized using a train of half-cycle pulses with pulse
durations much less than the classical orbit period. We demonstrate
experimentally the transfer of population from initial states around n=50 down
to n<40 as well as up to the continuum. The measured population transfer
matches well to a model of the process for 1D atoms.Comment: V2: discussion extended, version accepted for publication in Physical
Review
Observation of a resonant four-body interaction in cold cesium Rydberg atoms
Cold Rydberg atoms subject to long-range dipole-dipole interactions represent
a particularly interesting system for exploring few-body interactions and
probing the transition from 2-body physics to the many-body regime. In this
work we report the direct observation of a resonant 4-body Rydberg interaction.
We exploit the occurrence of an accidental quasi-coincidence of a 2-body and a
4-body resonant Stark-tuned Forster process in cesium to observe a resonant
energy transfer requiring the simultaneous interaction of at least four
neighboring atoms. These results are relevant for the implementation of quantum
gates with Rydberg atoms and for further studies of many-body physics.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure
Strongly correlated gases of Rydberg-dressed atoms: quantum and classical dynamics
We discuss techniques to generate long-range interactions in a gas of
groundstate alkali atoms, by weakly admixing excited Rydberg states with laser
light. This provides a tool to engineer strongly correlated phases with reduced
decoherence from inelastic collisions and spontaneous emission. As an
illustration, we discuss the quantum phases of dressed atoms with dipole-dipole
interactions confined in a harmonic potential, as relevant to experiments. We
show that residual spontaneous emission from the Rydberg state acts as a
heating mechanism, leading to a quantum-classical crossover.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Laser and microwave spectroscopy of even-parity Rydberg states of neutral ytterbium and Multichannel Quantum Defect Theory analysis
New measurements of high-lying even parity and
levels of neutral Yb are presented in this paper.
Spectroscopy is performed by a two-step laser excitation from the ground state
, and the Rydberg levels are detected by using the
field ionization method. Additional two-photon microwave spectroscopy is used
to improve the relative energy accuracy where possible. The spectroscopic
measurements are complemented by a multichannel quantum defect theory (MQDT)
analysis for the J=0 and the two-coupled J=2 even parity series. We compare our
results with the previous analysis of Aymar {\it{et al}} \cite{Aymar_1980} and
analyze the observed differences. From the new MQDT models, a revised value for
the first ionization limit cm is proposed.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figure
Determination of the Rb ng-series quantum defect by electric-field-induced resonant energy transfer between cold Rydberg atoms
Resonant energy transfer between cold Rydberg atoms was used to determine
Rydberg atom energy levels, at precisions approaching those obtainable in
microwave spectroscopy. Laser cooled Rb atoms from a magneto-optical trap were
optically excited to 32d Rydberg states. The two-atom process 32d(j=5/2) +
32d(j=5/2) -> 34p(j=3/2) + 30g is resonant at an electric field of
approximately 0.3 V/cm. This process is driven by the electric dipole-dipole
interaction, which is allowed due to the partial f character that the g state
acquires in an electric field. The experimentally observed resonant field,
together with the Stark map calculation is used to make a determination of the
Rb ng-series quantum defect: delta_g (n=30) = 0.00405(6)
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