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arXiv:1907.01254 · Physical Review A

Measurements of single-state and state-ensemble lifetimes of high-lying Rb Rydberg levels

Matteo Archimi, Cristiano Simonelli, Lucia Di Virgilio, A. Greco, M. Ceccanti, E. Arimondo, D. Ciampini, I. I. Ryabtsev, Ilya I. Beterov, O. Morsch

Published Sep 4, 2019• 24 citations
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Abstract

We demonstrate a hybrid method based on field ionization and state-selective deexcitation capable of measuring the lifetimes of high-lying Rydberg levels. For $nS$ Rydberg states of Rb atoms with principal quantum number $60\ensuremath{\le}n\ensuremath{\le}88$, we measure both the lifetimes of single target states and those of the ensembles of Rydberg states populated via blackbody-radiation-induced transitions. We find good overall agreement with numerical calculations of the expected lifetimes in both cases. However, for the target-state lifetimes, we find a local deviation towards shorter lifetimes for states around $n=72$, which we interpret as a signature of a modified blackbody spectrum in the finite volume in which our experiments take place.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.100.030501

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We report experimental measurements of the rates of blackbody-radiation-induced transitions between high-lying (n>60n>60n>60) SSS, P,P,P, and DDD Rydberg levels of rubidium atoms in a magneto-optical trap using a hybrid field ionization and state-selective depumping technique [Archimi et al., Phys. Rev. A 100, 030501(R) (2019); Simonelli et al., Phys. Rev. A 96, 043411 (2017)]. Our results reveal significant deviations of the measured transition rates from theory for well-defined ranges of the principal quantum number. We assume that the most likely cause for those deviations is a modified blackbody spectrum inside the glass cell in which the magneto-optical trap is formed, and we test this assumption by installing electrodes to create an additional microwave cavity around the cell. From the results, we conclude that it should be possible to use such external cavities to control and suppress the blackbody-radiation-induced transitions.
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We have developed an all-optical method for measuring the lifetimes of nSnSnS and nDnDnD Rydberg states and demonstrate its capabilities with measurements on a dilute cloud of ultracold 87Rb^{87}\mathrm{Rb}87Rb atoms in a cryogenic environment. The method is based on the time-resolved observation of resonant light absorption by ground-state atoms and selective transfer of Rydberg atoms into the ground state at varying delay times in order to reconstruct Rydberg decay curves. Our measurements of the 87Rb^{87}\mathrm{Rb}87Rb 30S1/230{S}_{1/2}30S1/2​ state indicate an increase of the lifetime at lowered environment temperatures, as expected due to decreased blackbody radiation. For the 38D5/238{D}_{5/2}38D5/2​ state with an attractive dipole-dipole interaction, ionization and lifetime reduction due to collisional effects are observed.
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We have studied ionization of alkali-metal Rydberg atoms by blackbody radiation (BBR). The results of theoretical calculations of ionization rates of Li, Na, K, Rb and Cs Rydberg atoms are presented. The calculations have been performed for n S, n P and n D states for principal quantum numbers n =8–65 at ambient temperatures of 77, 300 and 600 K. The calculations take into account the contributions of BBR-induced redistribution of population between Rydberg states prior to photoionization and field ionization by extraction electric field pulses. The obtained results show that these phenomena affect both the magnitude of the measured ionization rates and their n dependence. A Cooper minimum for BBR-induced transitions between bound Rydberg states of Li has been found. The calculated ionization rates are compared with our earlier measurements of BBR-induced ionization rates of Na n S and n D Rydberg states with n =8–20 at 300 K. Good agreement for all states except n S with n >15 is observed. Useful analytical formulae for quick estimates of BBR ionization rates of Rydberg atoms are presented. Application of BBR-induced ionization signal to measurements of collisional ionization rates is demonstrated.