Abstract Understanding strong-field ionization requires a quantitative comparison between experimental data and theoretical models which is notoriously difficult to achieve. Optically trapped ultracold atoms allow to extract absolute nonlinear ionization probabilities by imaging the atomic density after exposure to the field of an ultrashort laser pulse. We report on such precise measurements for rubidium in the intensity range of 1 × 1011 – 4 × 1013 W cm−2. The experimental data are in perfect agreement with ab-initio theory, based on solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation without any free parameters. We investigate the strong-field response of 87Rb atoms at two different wavelengths representing non-resonant and resonant processes in the demanding regime where the Keldysh parameter is close to unity.
Abstract Understanding strong-field ionization requires a quantitative comparison between experimental data and theoretical models which is notoriously difficult to achieve. Optically trapped ultracold atoms allow to extract absolute nonlinear ionization probabilities by imaging the atomic density after exposure to the field of an ultrashort laser pulse. We report on such precise measurements for rubidium in the intensity range of 1 × 1011 – 4 × 1013 W cm−2. The experimental data are in perfect agreement with ab-initio theory, based on solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation without any free parameters. We investigate the strong-field response of 87Rb atoms at two different wavelengths representing non-resonant and resonant processes in the demanding regime where the Keldysh parameter is close to unity.
An investigation of the resonant interaction of the rubidium atoms with an intensity (10 kWcm-2 ≤ I ≤ 2 MWcm-2) and a wavelength close to that of the D1 and D2 transitions of the rubidium atom (5S1/2 → 5P3/2 or 5S1/2 → 5P1/2, λD1 = 780 nm, λD2 = 795 nm), which has passes through rubidium vapor with density (1011 - 1014 cm-3) been studied theoretically. The system of equations describing the processes of Collisional ionization and multiphoton ionization of rubidium vapour resonantly excited with nanosecond pulsed laser is solved. The dependence of the ion density on the laser intensity and the atomic density of rubidium are considered. The result of calculations revealed that, both quadratic ion density dependence on laser intensity and linear behaviour of the ion density versus rubidium density for 5S1/2 → 5P3/2 transition is due to photoioization process. In contrast, for 5S1/2 → 5P1/2 transition, the ion density dependence is nonlinear and indicates that the collisional processes play the major contribution in the total ionization. Also, the obtained results showed reasonable agreement with the experimentally measured values of the ion density dependence given by Bakhramov et al. In addition, the analysis of mutual competition between the different ionization processes considered for the ion yield as a function of both laser intensity and atoms density are also presented this work.
We investigate the propagation of ultrashort laser pulses in atomic rubidium vapor. The pulses are intensive enough to ionize the atoms and are directly resonant with the 780-nm D2 line. We derive a relatively simple theory for computing the nonlinear optical response of atoms and investigate the competing effects of strong resonant nonlinearity and ionization in the medium using computer simulations. A nonlinear self-channeling of pulse energy is found to produce a continuous plasma channel with complete ionization. We evaluate the length, width, and homogeneity of the resulting plasma channel for various values of pulse energy and initial focusing to identify regimes optimal for applications in plasma-wave accelerator devices such as that being built by the AWAKE collaboration at CERN. Similarities and differences with laser pulse filamentation in atmospheric gases are discussed.
The recent development of laser cooling and trapping techniques has made possible the controlled realization of dense and cold atomic samples, thus opening the way for spectroscopic investigations in the low and ultra-low temperature regimes not accessible with conventional techniques. In our lab, an apparatus for laser cooling and Bose-Einstein condensation of rubidium atoms is in operation, producing a sample large enough to perform reliable investigations by absorption or emission techniques. Moving from previous photoionization experiments of laser-cooled atoms in a magneto-optical trap irradiated by cw-laser radiation [1] and stimulated by the interest grown recently on ultra-cold plasma [2], we have started a series of experiments aimed at investigating the interaction of intense laser pulses with the ultra-cold neutral sample, boty aboeand below the condensation temperature. Radiation from an excimer-pumped dye laser was used at a wavelength close to 594 nm, corresponding to the ionization threshold of rubidium for two photon non-resonant absorption from the ground state, with intensities in the tens of MW/cm^2 range and a pulse duration of 16 ns. Preliminary results, attained through the dynamical analysis (atom number, temperature) of the cold atom sample after the arrival of the laser pulse, suggest the occurrence of different processes, initiated by multi-photon ionization, involving collisions between cold electrons and ultra-cold neutrals, recombination at low temperatures and collective processes in the weak and cold plasma. Interpretation of those results demonstrates that this class of experiments, based on a variety of topics typical of atomic, plasma and statistical physics, can open the way for novel and intriguing investigations of laser-matter interaction. Further experimental developments will include duplication of the laser pulse frequency and one photon ionization of ground state rubidium laser-cooled atoms. [1] O. Maragò et al., Phys. Rev. A 57 R4110 (1998); E., Arimondo et al., Appl. Surf. Sci. 154-155 527 (2000); F. Fuso et al., Opt. Commun. 173 223 (2000). [2] T.C. Killian et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 83 4776 (1999); S. Kulin et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 85 318 (2000).
A quantum simulator based on ultracold optically trapped atoms for simulating the physics of atoms and molecules in ultrashort intense laser fields is introduced. The slowing down by about 13 orders of magnitude allows one to watch in slow motion the tunneling and recollision processes that form the heart of attosecond science. The extreme flexibility of the simulator promises a deeper understanding of strong-field physics, especially for many-body systems beyond the reach of classical computers. The quantum simulator can experimentally straightforwardly be realized and is shown to recover the ionization characteristics of atoms in the different regimes of laser-matter interaction.
We calculate the ionization lifetime of rubidium atoms trapped in an intense light field as a function of wavelength and principal quantum number n . The ionization lifetimes of ground state atoms range from essentially infinite to less than one second, for example in a 532 nm laser field with intensity 10 6 W cm −2 . The ionization lifetime of Rydberg states can be extremely short, e.g. the lifetime of the 35d state in a CO 2 laser field with intensity 10 5 W cm −2 and wavelength 10.6 μm is of order 100 ns. These results have important implications for achieving long coherence times, and for entanglement schemes based on Rydberg excitation in far-detuned optical lattices. In particular, fast photo-ionization could seriously compromise the possible realization of quantum gates based on Rydberg excitation of alkali atoms in a CO 2 laser lattice.
We study photoionization of cold rubidium atoms in a strong infrared laser field using a magneto-optical trap (MOT) recoil ion momentum spectrometer. Three types of cold rubidium target are provided, operating in two-dimension (2D) MOT, 2D molasses, and 3D MOT with densities in the orders of 107 atoms/cm3, 108 atoms/cm3, and 109 atoms/cm3, respectively. The density profile and the temperature of 3D MOT are characterized using the absorption imaging and photoionization. The momentum distributions of Rb+ created by absorption of two- or three-photon illuminate a dipole-like double-peak structure, in good agreement with the results in the strong field approximation. The yielding momentum resolution of 0.12±0.03 a.u. is achieved in comparison with theoretical calculations, exhibiting the great prospects for the study of electron correlations in alkali metal atoms through interaction with strong laser pulses.