Resonant energy transfer collisions of Rydberg atoms
The dynamics of resonant collisional energy transfer between velocity selected Na and K Rydberg atoms which are perturbed by foreign particles and external fields are modeled theoretically and studied experimentally. First, we present measurements of the resonant electric field positions the general process K ns + (n - 2)d {r_arrow} np + (n - 1)p. The measured and calculated positions agree well. Specifically, the collision process, K(29s{sub 1/2}) + K(27d{sub 3/2}) {r_arrow} K(29p{sub 1/2}) + K(28p{sub 1/2}), is resonant in a static field of 6.45 V/cm with a measured linewidth of 1 MHz at a collision temperature of 0.5K. By applying a time varying radio frequency (rf) electric field, radiatively assisted collisions are studied in three frequency regimes. In the high frequency regime where {nu}{sub rf} {much_gt} 1/r{sub c} and r{sub c} is the collision time, multiphoton assisted resonances are observed and the measured cross sections agree well with a Floquet model. In the low frequency regime where {nu}{sub rf} {much_lt} 1/r{sub c} the lineshape depends on the phase of the rf field relative to the time of individual collision events in agreement with a quasistatic field model. In the intermediate frequency regime where {nu}{sub rf} {approx} 1/r{sub c}, strong interference fringes are observed in the lineshape which agree well with a Ramsey separated oscillatory field model. This model is an extension of the quasistatic low frequency picture. Of particular interest, the model can be further extended to the high frequency regime where it is shown to yield results equivalent to the Floquet model. Thus we have tied the low and high frequency regimes together. In Na the resonant collision process Na(ns{sub 1/2}) + Na(ns{sub 1/2}) {r_arrow} Na(np{sub j}) + Na((n {minus} 1)p{sub j},) is studied in static electric and magnetic fields.
- Research Organization:
- Virginia Univ., Charlottesville, VA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 106816
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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