© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

Terms Privacy Legal Notice

Quantum Electronics

Modulation and correlation of the radial and angular motions of a Rydberg electron in a resonance microwave field

P. A. Volkov, Maxim A. Efremov, Mikhail Vladimirovich Fedorov

Published Aug 31, 2006• 2 citations

Abstract

We discuss the physical sense and interpretation of the Maeda—Gallagher experiment (2004) in which the probability of ionisation of Rydberg Li atoms perturbed by the resonance microwave field by a short half-cycle pulse was measured. The periodic dependence of the ionisation probability w i on the delay time t 0 of the half-cycle pulse with respect to the instant of switching on the microwave field is found. The oscillation period of the function w i ( t 0 ) is equal to the Kepler period of a Rydberg electron. It is shown that the interpretation of this experiment by the authors in terms of localised wave packets has no grounds and neglects basic processes proceeding in the microwave field. An alternative interpretation is proposed and, as the first step, the structure of the Rydberg wave function formed in the resonance microwave field is studied.

DOI: 10.1070/qe2006v036n08abeh013180

Related papers

Analytical investigation of one-dimensional Rydberg atoms interacting with half-cycle pulses

Imants Bersons, Rita Veilande

Classical, quantum-mechanical, and semiclassical expressions for the transition probability in one-dimensional Rydberg atom irradiated by short half-cycle pulse are derived and compared. The simple formulas obtained for excitation of Rydberg atom by two time delayed weak half-cycle pulses reproduce well the experimental data and the solutions of time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation. When the transferred momenta are stronger and positive, the transition probabilities exhibit fast oscillations with time delay between the pulses. The classical transition probability is constant in time. For negative transferred momenta a focusing phenomenon is observed, and there is a region in time delay, where the transition probabilities oscillate with the Kepler period.

Physical Review A•Apr 20, 2004•23 citations

Classical phase locking in adiabatic rapid passage

H. Maeda, Jirakan Nunkaew, Thomas F. Gallagher

When a Rydberg atom is slowly swept through a dipole allowed resonance with an oscillating field adiabatic rapid passage (ARP) from one state to the other can occur. By measuring the time resolved momentum of a Rydberg electron with a half cycle pulse we demonstrate that during ARP the classical oscillating dipole due to the orbital motion of the electron becomes phase locked to the microwave field driving the resonance. Depending on the direction of the sweep through resonance, the atom is in one or the other of the two Floquet eigenstates in which the electron is phase locked in or $\ensuremath{\pi}$ out of phase with the driving field. In contrast, in Rabi oscillations the electron motion oscillates between leading and lagging the driving microwave field.

Physical Review A•May 29, 2007•12 citations

Field ionization of Rydberg atoms in a single-cycle pulse

Baozhu Yang, F. Robicheaux

We study the ionization of Rydberg atoms in a single-cycle-pulse electric field based on both classical and quantum calculations. The ionization-probability curve exhibits a ``ripple'' structure as a function of the pulse duration and the field amplitude. These ripple structures are found to be dependent on the angular distribution of the initial state. A large electron-emission asymmetry is observed, and the ionized electron is almost completely emitted to one side of the atom except when the pulse length is roughly one Rydberg period. In both the long-pulse and the short-pulse regimes, larger electron energy can be expected from the ionization of lower-lying Rydberg states, matching the observation in a recent experiment [S. Li and R. R. Jones, Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 143006 (2014)]. This trend is closely related to the electron-emission asymmetry associated with the field-direction change in a single-cycle pulse. The possible implications of the different energy transfer in a single-cycle pulse from that in a multicycle pulse are also discussed briefly for the strong-field ionization of the ground atomic state.

Physical Review A•Apr 13, 2015•18 citations

Interaction of half-cycle radiation pulse with Rydberg states of atomic hydrogen

K. J. LaGattuta, P. B. Lerner

We describe the results of our solutions of the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation for Rydberg states of atomic hydrogen exposed to a short pulse of ``half-cycle'' long-wavelength radiation. By ``short'' we mean that the duration of the pulse is much less than the Kepler period of the Rydberg state being irradiated. Comparison is made with the results of experiments which have been reported recently [R. Jones, D. You, and P. Bucksbaum, Phys. Rev. Lett. 70, 1236 (1993)].

Physical Review A•Mar 1, 1994•26 citations

Excitation and ionization of Rydberg atoms by short half-cycle pulses

Imants Bersons, A. Kulsh

Simple semiclassical formulas are derived for the probability of excitation and ionization of Rydberg atoms irradiated by a half-cycle pulse whose duration is shorter than the Kepler period. The calculated ionization probabilities are in good agreement with the experimental data of Jones, You, and Bucksbaum [Phys. Rev. Lett. 70, 1236 (1993)] and with previous calculations.

Physical Review A•Feb 1, 1999•9 citations

Rydberg Atoms Ionisation by Microwave Field and Electromagnetic Pulses

B. Kaulakys, G. Vilutis

A simple theory of the Rydberg atoms ionisation by electromagnetic pulses and microwave field is presented. The analysis is based on the scale transformation which reduces the number of parameters and reveals the functional dependencies of the processes. It is shown that the observed ionisation of Rydberg atoms by subpicosecond electromagnetic pulses scale classically. The threshold electric field required to ionise a Rydberg state may be simply evaluated in the photonic basis approach for the quantum dynamics or from the multiphoton ionisation theory.

arXiv:quant-ph/9504007•Apr 10, 1995•0 citations

We discuss the physical sense and interpretation of the Maeda—Gallagher experiment (2004) in which the probability of ionisation of Rydberg Li atoms perturbed by the resonance microwave field by a short half-cycle pulse was measured. The periodic dependence of the ionisation probability w i on the delay time t 0 of the half-cycle pulse with respect to the instant of switching on the microwave field is found. The oscillation period of the function w i ( t 0 ) is equal to the Kepler period of a Rydberg electron. It is shown that the interpretation of this experiment by the authors in terms of localised wave packets has no grounds and neglects basic processes proceeding in the microwave field. An alternative interpretation is proposed and, as the first step, the structure of the Rydberg wave function formed in the resonance microwave field is studied.

Classical, quantum-mechanical, and semiclassical expressions for the transition probability in one-dimensional Rydberg atom irradiated by short half-cycle pulse are derived and compared. The simple formulas obtained for excitation of Rydberg atom by two time delayed weak half-cycle pulses reproduce well the experimental data and the solutions of time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation. When the transferred momenta are stronger and positive, the transition probabilities exhibit fast oscillations with time delay between the pulses. The classical transition probability is constant in time. For negative transferred momenta a focusing phenomenon is observed, and there is a region in time delay, where the transition probabilities oscillate with the Kepler period.

When a Rydberg atom is slowly swept through a dipole allowed resonance with an oscillating field adiabatic rapid passage (ARP) from one state to the other can occur. By measuring the time resolved momentum of a Rydberg electron with a half cycle pulse we demonstrate that during ARP the classical oscillating dipole due to the orbital motion of the electron becomes phase locked to the microwave field driving the resonance. Depending on the direction of the sweep through resonance, the atom is in one or the other of the two Floquet eigenstates in which the electron is phase locked in or $\ensuremath{\pi}$ out of phase with the driving field. In contrast, in Rabi oscillations the electron motion oscillates between leading and lagging the driving microwave field.

We study the ionization of Rydberg atoms in a single-cycle-pulse electric field based on both classical and quantum calculations. The ionization-probability curve exhibits a ``ripple'' structure as a function of the pulse duration and the field amplitude. These ripple structures are found to be dependent on the angular distribution of the initial state. A large electron-emission asymmetry is observed, and the ionized electron is almost completely emitted to one side of the atom except when the pulse length is roughly one Rydberg period. In both the long-pulse and the short-pulse regimes, larger electron energy can be expected from the ionization of lower-lying Rydberg states, matching the observation in a recent experiment [S. Li and R. R. Jones, Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 143006 (2014)]. This trend is closely related to the electron-emission asymmetry associated with the field-direction change in a single-cycle pulse. The possible implications of the different energy transfer in a single-cycle pulse from that in a multicycle pulse are also discussed briefly for the strong-field ionization of the ground atomic state.

We describe the results of our solutions of the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation for Rydberg states of atomic hydrogen exposed to a short pulse of ``half-cycle'' long-wavelength radiation. By ``short'' we mean that the duration of the pulse is much less than the Kepler period of the Rydberg state being irradiated. Comparison is made with the results of experiments which have been reported recently [R. Jones, D. You, and P. Bucksbaum, Phys. Rev. Lett. 70, 1236 (1993)].

A simple theory of the Rydberg atoms ionisation by electromagnetic pulses and microwave field is presented. The analysis is based on the scale transformation which reduces the number of parameters and reveals the functional dependencies of the processes. It is shown that the observed ionisation of Rydberg atoms by subpicosecond electromagnetic pulses scale classically. The threshold electric field required to ionise a Rydberg state may be simply evaluated in the photonic basis approach for the quantum dynamics or from the multiphoton ionisation theory.