Transporting Rydberg Electron Wavepackets with Chirped Trains of Pulses

Journal Article · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 2007 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.183003· OSTI ID:939405

Mestayer, J J ^[1]; Zhao, W ^[1]; Lancaster, J C ^[1]; Dunning, F B ^[1]; Reinhold, Carlos O ^[2]; Yoshida, S ^[3]; Burgdorfer, J ^[3]

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1. Rice University
2. ORNL
3. Institute for Theoretical Physics, Vienna University of Technology, Austria

A protocol for steering Rydberg electrons towards targeted final states is realized with the aid of a chirped train of half-cycle pulses (HCPs). Its novel capabilities are demonstrated experimentally by transporting potassium atoms excited to the lowest-lying quasi-one-dimensional states in the n{sub i}=350 Stark manifold to a narrow range of much higher-n states. We demonstrate that this coherent state transfer is, to a high degree, reversible. The protocol allows for remarkable selectivity and is highly efficient, with typically over 80% of the parent atoms surviving the HCP sequence.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
• Sponsoring Organization: SC USDOE - Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 939405
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Vol. 99; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
ANNIHILATION OPERATORS
ATOMS
EIGENSTATES
ELECTRONS
POTASSIUM