Nearly unipolar, subpicosecond half-cycle pulses (HCPs) have been used to ionize ${\mathrm{Ba}}^{+}$ $ng$ Rydberg ions. The double ionization probability vs HCP field strength data are compared with analogous single ionization measurements for neutral Ba $6snd$ Rydberg atoms prepared in the same apparatus. We find that neutral and ionic Rydberg states with the same binding energies follow approximately the same ionization curves. Our findings are in agreement with the predictions of an impulsive ionization model and classical trajectory Monte Carlo simulations.Nearly unipolar, subpicosecond half-cycle pulses (HCPs) have been used to ionize ${\mathrm{Ba}}^{+}$ $ng$ Rydberg ions. The double ionization probability vs HCP field strength data are compared with analogous single ionization measurements for neutral Ba $6snd$ Rydberg atoms prepared in the same apparatus. We find that neutral and ionic Rydberg states with the same binding energies follow approximately the same ionization curves. Our findings are in agreement with the predictions of an impulsive ionization model and classical trajectory Monte Carlo simulations.

Physical Review AMar 2, 20069 citations

Ionization of Rydberg atoms by subpicosecond half-cycle electromagnetic pulses

R. R. Jones, D. You, P. H. Bucksbaum

We have ionized Rydberg atoms using subpicosecond half-cycle electromagnetic pulses. The threshold electric field required to ionize a Rydberg state with effective quantum number ${\mathit{n}}^{\mathrm{*}}$ is found to scale as ${\mathit{n}}^{\mathrm{*}\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}2}$ for states with ${\mathit{n}}^{\mathrm{*}}$ >13 in contradistinction to the ${\mathit{n}}^{\mathrm{*}\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4}$ threshold scaling for static field ionization and high order multiphoton ionization. This novel result is explained using a classical model.We have ionized Rydberg atoms using subpicosecond half-cycle electromagnetic pulses. The threshold electric field required to ionize a Rydberg state with effective quantum number ${\mathit{n}}^{\mathrm{*}}$ is found to scale as ${\mathit{n}}^{\mathrm{*}\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}2}$ for states with ${\mathit{n}}^{\mathrm{*}}$>13 in contradistinction to the ${\mathit{n}}^{\mathrm{*}\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4}$ threshold scaling for static field ionization and high order multiphoton ionization. This novel result is explained using a classical model.

Physical Review LettersMar 1, 1993298 citations

Nearly unipolar, subpicosecond half-cycle pulses (HCPs) have been used to ionize

{\mathrm{Ba}}^{+}

ng

Rydberg ions. The double ionization probability vs HCP field strength data are compared with analogous single ionization measurements for neutral Ba

6snd

Rydberg atoms prepared in the same apparatus. We find that neutral and ionic Rydberg states with the same binding energies follow approximately the same ionization curves. Our findings are in agreement with the predictions of an impulsive ionization model and classical trajectory Monte Carlo simulations.

We have ionized Rydberg atoms using subpicosecond half-cycle electromagnetic pulses. The threshold electric field required to ionize a Rydberg state with effective quantum number

{\mathit{n}}^{\mathrm{*}}

is found to scale as ${\mathit{n}}^{\mathrm{*}\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}2}$ for states with

{\mathit{n}}^{\mathrm{*}}

>13 in contradistinction to the ${\mathit{n}}^{\mathrm{*}\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4}$ threshold scaling for static field ionization and high order multiphoton ionization. This novel result is explained using a classical model.