Neutralization of Rubidium Adsorbate Electric Fields by Electron Attachment

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 2015 · Sandia journal manuscript; Not yet accepted for publication

OSTI ID:1427246

Sedlacek, J. A. ^[1]; Kim, E. ^[2]; Rittenhouse, S. T. ^[3]; Weck, Philippe F ^[4]; Sadeghpour, H. R. ^[5]; Shaffer, J. P. ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, OK (United States)
2. Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV (United States)
3. Western Washington Univ., Bellingham, WA (United States); US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD (United States)
4. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
5. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA (United States)

We investigate the (0001) surface of single crystal quartz with a submonolayer of Rb adsorbates. Using Rydberg atom electromagnetically induced transparency, we investigate the electric elds resulting from Rb adsorbed on the quartz surface, and measure the activation energy of the Rb adsorbates. We show that the Rb induces a negative electron affnity (NEA) on the quartz surface. The NEA surface allows for low energy electrons to bind to the surface and cancel the electric eld from the Rb adsorbates. Our results have implications for integrating Rydberg atoms into hybrid quantum systems and the fundamental study of atom-surface interactions, as well as applications for electrons bound to a 2D surface.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 1427246
• Report Number(s): SAND--2015-9321J; 607797
• Journal Information: Sandia journal manuscript; Not yet accepted for publication, Journal Name: Sandia journal manuscript; Not yet accepted for publication; ISSN 9999-0014
• Publisher: Sandia
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English