Cold-Rydberg-gas dynamics

Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 2004 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.69.063405· OSTI ID:20643783

Walz-Flannigan, A; Guest, J R; Choi, J -H; Raithel, G ^[1]

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1. FOCUS Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1120 (United States)

Using state-selective field ionization, the state distributions of Rydberg atoms in cold Rydberg gases are measured for various initially excited Rydberg levels, populations, and evolution times. We provide direct experimental evidence for l-changing collisions that we previously observed indirectly [S. K. Dutta, D. Feldbaum, A. Walz-Flannigan, J. R. Guest, and G. Raithel, Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 3993 (2001)]. We also observe n-mixing and find that its effects are largely in agreement with recent theoretical work on n-changing collisions between electrons and Rydberg atoms, thus enabling an estimation of the electron temperature. Unexpectedly large populations of atoms are found in states with principal quantum numbers much lower than that of the initially excited atoms. We explain this observation by collisions between high-l Rydberg atoms, which are highly polar and can collide due to static electric-dipole forces between them.

• OSTI ID: 20643783
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Journal Name: Physical Review. A Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 69; ISSN 1050-2947; ISSN PLRAAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ATOMS
COOLING
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTRIC DIPOLES
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ELECTRON-ATOM COLLISIONS
ELECTRONS
EVOLUTION
IONIZATION
LASER RADIATION
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MIXING
PLASMA
QUANTUM NUMBERS
RYDBERG STATES