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Physical Review A

Resonant collisions of Na nS and nD Rydberg atoms

Ravinder Kachru, Thomas F. Gallagher, F. Gounand, P. Pillet, Nam Huu Tran

Published Nov 1, 1983• 10 citations
Publisher

Abstract

A large enhancement in the resonant collisional energy-transfer process $\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{ns})+\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{ns})\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{Na}[(n\ensuremath{-}1)p]+\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{nl})$ or $\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{ns})+\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{ns})\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{np})+\mathrm{Na}[(n\ensuremath{-}1)l]$ is observed when the initial $\mathrm{ns}$ state lies midway between $(n\ensuremath{-}1)p$ and an $\mathrm{nl}$ state or between $\mathrm{np}$ and an $(n\ensuremath{-}1)l$ state. This resonance condition, achieved by the electric field tuning of the levels, leads to large cross sections \ensuremath{\sim} ${10}^{9}$ ${\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{2}$ and narrow linewidths \ensuremath{\sim} 1 GHz. These cross sections and linewidths are comparable to the previously observed resonant process $\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{ns})+\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{ns})\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{Na}[(n\ensuremath{-}1)p]+\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{np})$. We have also observed a similar collisional energy transfer starting from a completely different initial state, i.e., $\mathrm{Na}(15d)+\mathrm{Na}(15d)\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{Na}(16f)+\mathrm{Na}(15p)$. In this case the enhancement in the cross section (\ensuremath{\sim} ${10}^{8}$ ${\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{2}$) is observed at a relatively low electric field \ensuremath{\sim} 17 V/cm.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.28.2676

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A large enhancement in the resonant collisional energy-transfer process Na(ns)+Na(ns)\ensuremath→Na[(n\ensuremath−1)p]+Na(nl)\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{ns})+\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{ns})\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{Na}[(n\ensuremath{-}1)p]+\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{nl})Na(ns)+Na(ns)\ensuremath→Na[(n\ensuremath−1)p]+Na(nl) or Na(ns)+Na(ns)\ensuremath→Na(np)+Na[(n\ensuremath−1)l]\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{ns})+\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{ns})\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{np})+\mathrm{Na}[(n\ensuremath{-}1)l]Na(ns)+Na(ns)\ensuremath→Na(np)+Na[(n\ensuremath−1)l] is observed when the initial ns\mathrm{ns}ns state lies midway between (n\ensuremath−1)p(n\ensuremath{-}1)p(n\ensuremath−1)p and an nl\mathrm{nl}nl state or between np\mathrm{np}np and an (n\ensuremath−1)l(n\ensuremath{-}1)l(n\ensuremath−1)l state. This resonance condition, achieved by the electric field tuning of the levels, leads to large cross sections \ensuremath{\sim} 109{10}^{9}109 A˚2{\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{2}A˚2 and narrow linewidths \ensuremath{\sim} 1 GHz. These cross sections and linewidths are comparable to the previously observed resonant process Na(ns)+Na(ns)\ensuremath→Na[(n\ensuremath−1)p]+Na(np)\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{ns})+\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{ns})\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{Na}[(n\ensuremath{-}1)p]+\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{np})Na(ns)+Na(ns)\ensuremath→Na[(n\ensuremath−1)p]+Na(np). We have also observed a similar collisional energy transfer starting from a completely different initial state, i.e., Na(15d)+Na(15d)\ensuremath→Na(16f)+Na(15p)\mathrm{Na}(15d)+\mathrm{Na}(15d)\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{Na}(16f)+\mathrm{Na}(15p)Na(15d)+Na(15d)\ensuremath→Na(16f)+Na(15p). In this case the enhancement in the cross section (\ensuremath{\sim} 108{10}^{8}108 A˚2{\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{2}A˚2) is observed at a relatively low electric field \ensuremath{\sim} 17 V/cm.
We have observed the sharply resonant enhancement of the cross section of the collision process $ns+ns\ensuremath{\rightarrow}np+(n\ensuremath{-}1)p$ between two Nans\mathrm{Na}nsNans (16< n< 2716<~n<~2716< n< 27) atoms which occurs when the levels are shifted by an electric field so that the nsnsns level lies midway between the two ppp states. The widths of the collisional resonances scale as ${n}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ and the magnitudes of the cross sections as n4{n}^{4}n4, with values of 0.5 GHz and 8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}108{10}^{8}108 A˚2{\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{2}A˚2 for the 20s20s20s state. These results are in good agreement with calculations based on the long-range dipole-dipole interaction between the two atoms.
Microwave-assisted resonant collisional energy transfer process $\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{ns})+\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{ns})+h\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{np})+\mathrm{Na}((n\ensuremath{-}1)p)$ is observed between two colliding Na(ns)\mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{ns})Na(ns) atoms. The collisional resonance occurs when the microwave frequency $\ensuremath{\nu}$ equals the collisional energy defect $\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}W}{h}$. The observed cross sections are very large (\ensuremath{\sim}108{10}^{8}108 A˚2{\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{2}A˚2) and require very low microwave power, \ensuremath{\sim}10 W/cm2{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}cm2. These observations are in good agreement with an intuitive two-photon absorption model for these collisions.
The experimental investigation of the resonant collision process $\mathrm{Na}ns+\mathrm{Na}\mathrm{ns}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{Na}np+\mathrm{Na}(n\ensuremath{-}1)p$ which occurs when the levels are tuned with an electric field so that the ns\mathrm{ns}ns level lies midway between the two ppp levels is described in detail. The observations are shown to be in good agreement with a long-range resonant dipole-dipole interaction.
We have observed resonant-energy-transfer collisions between K Rydberg atoms. We have tuned the ns1/2{\mathrm{ns}}_{1/2}ns1/2​+(n-2)dj{\mathrm{d}}_{\mathrm{j}}dj​\ensuremath{\rightarrow}${\mathrm{np}}_{\mathrm{j}\ensuremath{'}}$+(n-1)${\mathrm{p}}_{\mathrm{j}\mathrm{\ensuremath{''}}}$ collisional process into resonance with a static electric field. The measured resonance field positions from n=24 to 29 agree well with the calculated positions. We show that the dipole-dipole selection rule, \ensuremath{\Delta}mj{\mathrm{m}}_{\mathrm{j}}mj​=0,\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1, is valid for these resonances but that \ensuremath{\Delta}J=0,\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1 is not, due to the presence of the electric field. In addition, the polarization of the lasers used to excite the Rydberg states can suppress many of the resonances.
Resonant collisional energy transfer between atoms with small relative velocity is shown to have such long collision times, \ensuremath{\sim}0.17 \ensuremath{\mu}s, or equivalently such narrow linewidths, 6 MHz, that it may be used to make spectroscopic measurements. Specifically, we report the use of the sharply resonant collisional energy transfer ns+(n-2)d\ensuremath{\rightarrow}np +(n-1)p, between velocity-selected K atoms to determine an improved value, 1.711?5(5), and the K np-state quantum defect.
We describe the experimental observation of the resonant collisional energy transfer Na(ns)+Na(ns)+qh\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}Na(np)+Na[(n-1)p]+(q○)h\ensuremath{\nu} which occurs when the Na atoms in a strong microwave field are tuned in energy with a static field so that the energy resonance Ens{E}_{\mathrm{ns}}Ens​+Ens{E}_{\mathrm{ns}}Ens​=Enp{E}_{\mathrm{np}}Enp​+${E}_{n\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$,p\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}mh\ensuremath{\nu} occurs. We describe our experimental observations and provide a detailed description of a nonperturbative theory which we have developed to explain our observations. The theory is essentially developed in terms of the resonant dipole-dipole collisions between ``microwave dressed'' atoms. Using an extension of the approach we used previously to describe resonant dipole-dipole collisions in the absence of microwaves, we are able to take into account all the coherences in the problem in a completely straightforward way.