An expression is given for the Stark-induced beat signal in the Lyman-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ radiation from hydrogen atoms in a beam-foil experiment. This expression includes possible contributions to the beat signal from coherent excitation of $S$ and $P$ states in the beam-foil process. For the case where the electric field is applied parallel to the beam, the coherentexcitation contributions can be separated experimentally from those resulting purely from coherence produced by the electric field, by simply reversing the direction of the electric field.An expression is given for the Stark-induced beat signal in the Lyman-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ radiation from hydrogen atoms in a beam-foil experiment. This expression includes possible contributions to the beat signal from coherent excitation of $S$ and $P$ states in the beam-foil process. For the case where the electric field is applied parallel to the beam, the coherentexcitation contributions can be separated experimentally from those resulting purely from coherence produced by the electric field, by simply reversing the direction of the electric field.

Physical Review LettersJul 30, 197376 citations

Zero-Field Quantum Beats in Lyman- β Radiation from Beam-Foil-Excited Hydrogen Atoms

Donald J. Lynch, C. W. Drake, M. J. Alguard +1 more

Zero-field quantum beats were observed in $\mathrm{L}\mathrm{y}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\beta}$ emission (1026 \AA{}) from hydrogen atoms formed by beam-foil excitation, and the energy dependence of the magnetic-substate cross sections for $n=3$ , $l=1$ states was determined for beam energies in the range from 230 to 500 keV/atom.Zero-field quantum beats were observed in $\mathrm{L}\mathrm{y}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\beta}$ emission (1026 \AA{}) from hydrogen atoms formed by beam-foil excitation, and the energy dependence of the magnetic-substate cross sections for $n=3$, $l=1$ states was determined for beam energies in the range from 230 to 500 keV/atom.

Physical Review LettersMay 17, 197121 citations

S

and

P

states in the beam-foil process. For the case where the electric field is applied parallel to the beam, the coherentexcitation contributions can be separated experimentally from those resulting purely from coherence produced by the electric field, by simply reversing the direction of the electric field.

n=3

l=1

states was determined for beam energies in the range from 230 to 500 keV/atom.