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Physical Review Letters

Electric Field Effects in the Excitation of Cold Rydberg-Atom Pairs

V. A. Nascimento, L. L. Caliri, Arne Schwettmann, James P. Shaffer, Luís Gustavo Marcassa

Published May 27, 2009• 24 citations
Publisher

Abstract

In this work, we study the role of the ac Stark effects on the excitation of nS1/2 cold Rydberg atoms produced in a rubidium magneto-optical trap. We have observed an atomic population in the nP3/2 state after excitation of nS1/2 for 29<or=n<or=37. Such an observation is normally attributed to binary collisions; however, the interaction between Rb nS1/2 atoms is repulsive. To explain our results, the dipole-dipole interaction and ac Stark shifts from the excitation laser must be considered. We find that the Rydberg-atom-pair state asymptotically correlating to nP3/2+(n-1)P3/2 is excited directly.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.102.213201

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This thesis reports the use of both dc and ac electric fi eld induced resonant \nenergy transfer, RET, between cold Rydberg atoms as a useful tool for enhancement \nof interatomic interactions. A general technique for laser frequency stabilization and \nits suitability for Rydberg atom excitation is also demonstrated. \nRET between cold Rydberg atoms was used to determine Rydberg atom energy \nlevels. The ⁸⁵Rb atoms are laser cooled and trapped in a magneto-optical trap. \nFor energy level determination experiment, atoms were optically excited to 32d₅/₂ \nRydberg states. The two-atom process 32d₅/₂ + 32d₅/₂ → 34p₃/₂+30g is resonant at \nan electric fi eld of approximately 0.3 V/cm through dipole dipole interaction. The \nexperimentally observed resonant fi eld, together with the Stark map calculation is \nused to make a determination of the ⁸⁵Rb ng-series quantum defect to be ⵒg(n = \n30) = 0.00405(6). \nThe ac Stark eff ect was also used to induce RET between cold Rydberg atoms. \nWhen a 28.5 GHz dressing field was set at speci fic fi eld strengths, the two-atom \ndipole-dipole process 43d₅/₂ + 43d₅/₂ → 45p₃/₂ + 41f was dramatically enhanced, \ndue to induced degeneracy of the initial and final states. This method for enhancing \ninteractions is complementary to dc electric- field-induced RET, but has more \n \nflexibility due to the possibility of varying the applied frequency. At a dressing field \nof 28.5 GHz all of the participating levels (43d₅/₂, 45p₃/₂ and 41f) show signi cant \nshifts and these give a complicated series of resonances. An oscillating electric \nfi eld at 1.356 GHz was also used to promote the above RET process where the \natoms are initially excited to the 43d₅/₂ Rydberg states. The ac fi eld strength was \nscanned to collect RET spectra. Di fferent resonances were observed for diff erent \nmagnetic sublevels involved in the process. Compared to the higher dressing field \nfrequency of 28.5 GHz, the choice of dressing frequency of 1.356 GHz, which is \nslightly blue detuned from the 41f - 41g transition, and structure of the spectra \nmay be understood, by analogy with the dc field case.

•May 19, 2010•1 citation
In this work, we study the role of the ac Stark effects on the excitation of nS1/2 cold Rydberg atoms produced in a rubidium magneto-optical trap. We have observed an atomic population in the nP3/2 state after excitation of nS1/2 for 29<or=n<or=37. Such an observation is normally attributed to binary collisions; however, the interaction between Rb nS1/2 atoms is repulsive. To explain our results, the dipole-dipole interaction and ac Stark shifts from the excitation laser must be considered. We find that the Rydberg-atom-pair state asymptotically correlating to nP3/2+(n-1)P3/2 is excited directly.
We present experimental results that show a significant yield of nP atoms after excitation of nS Rb Rydberg atoms from a MOT using a pulsed dye laser, where 29 < n < 37. The observed nP population is quadratically dependent on the nS atomic density. Such results are naturally attributed to binary collisions. However, this cannot be the case here, because the interaction between Rb nS atoms is repulsive. In this experiment, the AC Stark effect and multipole interactions work together to create a nonvanishing final population of nP + ( n − 1) P pairs.
Ultracold Rydberg atoms in a static electric field can exchange energy via the dipole-dipole interaction. The Stark effect shifts the energy levels of the atoms which tunes the energy exchange into resonance at specific values of the electric field (F\"orster resonances). We excite rubidium atoms to Rydberg states by focusing either a 480 nm beam from a tunable dye laser or a pair of diode lasers into a magneto-optical trap. The trap lies at the center of a configuration of electrodes. We scan the electric field by controlling the voltage on the electrodes while measuring the fraction of atoms that interact. Dipole-dipole interaction spectra are presented for initially excited rubidium ndndnd states for n=31n=31n=31 to 46 and for four different pairs of initially excited rubidium nsnsns states. We also present the dipole-dipole interaction spectra for individual rubidium 32ddd (j,mj)(j,\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{m}_{j})(j,mj​) fine structure levels that have been selectively excited. The data are compared to calculated spectra.
We have observed a significant yield of (n + 2)P atoms after the excitation of nD Rydberg atoms in a Rb MOT, where 27 < n < 41, which can be attributed to binary collisions between Rydberg atoms. We have measured its dependence on principle quantum number as well as DC electric field. These results are compared to a model which uses the Landau-Zener method to calculate transition probabilities at avoided crossings in the two-atom potential energy curves, taking into account the effects of the DC Stark effect due to the background electric field.
We demonstrate the single-photon Rydberg excitation of cesium atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT). We excite atoms directly from 6S1/2ground state to nP3/2(n = 70-100) Rydberg state with a narrow-linewidth 319-nm ultra-violet laser. The detection of Rydberg states is performed by monitoring the reduction of fluorescence signal of the MOT as partial population on 6S1/2(F = 4) ground state are transferred to Rydberg state. We clearly observe Autler-Townes doublet in the trap-loss spectra due to the cooling lights. Utilizing the large electric polarizibility of Rydberg atoms, we observe Stark splitting in the Autler-Townes doublet induced by background DC electric fields. We investigate the dependence of Stark shift on electric fields by theoretical analysis, and then infer the DC electric field from the measured Stark splitting. We find that there is a 44.8(4) mV/cm DC electric field in the vicinity of the cold ensemble. It indicates that high-lying Rydberg atoms can be used as sensors for DC electric fields.
This paper reports on the results of experiments with cold rubidium Rydberg atoms in a magneto-optical trap. The specific feature of the experiments is the excitation of Rydberg atoms in a small volume within a cloud of cold atoms and the sorting of measured signals and spectra according to the number of detected Rydberg atoms. The effective lifetime of the 37 P Rydberg state and its polarizability in a weak electric field are measured. The results obtained are in good agreement with theoretical calculations. It is demonstrated that the localization of the excitation volume in the vicinity of the zero-magnetic-field point makes it possible to improve the spectral resolution and to obtain narrow microwave resonances in Rydberg atoms without switching off the quadrupole magnetic field of the trap. The dependence of the amplitude of dipole-dipole interaction resonances in Rydberg atoms on the number of atoms is measured. This dependence exhibits a linear behavior and agrees with the theory for a weak dipole-dipole interaction.
This thesis reports the use of both dc and ac electric fi eld induced resonant \nenergy transfer, RET, between cold Rydberg atoms as a useful tool for enhancement \nof interatomic interactions. A general technique for laser frequency stabilization and \nits suitability for Rydberg atom excitation is also demonstrated. \nRET between cold Rydberg atoms was used to determine Rydberg atom energy \nlevels. The ⁸⁵Rb atoms are laser cooled and trapped in a magneto-optical trap. \nFor energy level determination experiment, atoms were optically excited to 32d₅/₂ \nRydberg states. The two-atom process 32d₅/₂ + 32d₅/₂ → 34p₃/₂+30g is resonant at \nan electric fi eld of approximately 0.3 V/cm through dipole dipole interaction. The \nexperimentally observed resonant fi eld, together with the Stark map calculation is \nused to make a determination of the ⁸⁵Rb ng-series quantum defect to be ⵒg(n = \n30) = 0.00405(6). \nThe ac Stark eff ect was also used to induce RET between cold Rydberg atoms. \nWhen a 28.5 GHz dressing field was set at speci fic fi eld strengths, the two-atom \ndipole-dipole process 43d₅/₂ + 43d₅/₂ → 45p₃/₂ + 41f was dramatically enhanced, \ndue to induced degeneracy of the initial and final states. This method for enhancing \ninteractions is complementary to dc electric- field-induced RET, but has more \n \nflexibility due to the possibility of varying the applied frequency. At a dressing field \nof 28.5 GHz all of the participating levels (43d₅/₂, 45p₃/₂ and 41f) show signi cant \nshifts and these give a complicated series of resonances. An oscillating electric \nfi eld at 1.356 GHz was also used to promote the above RET process where the \natoms are initially excited to the 43d₅/₂ Rydberg states. The ac fi eld strength was \nscanned to collect RET spectra. Di fferent resonances were observed for diff erent \nmagnetic sublevels involved in the process. Compared to the higher dressing field \nfrequency of 28.5 GHz, the choice of dressing frequency of 1.356 GHz, which is \nslightly blue detuned from the 41f - 41g transition, and structure of the spectra \nmay be understood, by analogy with the dc field case.