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Physical Review A

Revivals of wave packets: General theory and application to Rydberg clusters

O. Knospe, R. Schmidt

Published Aug 1, 1996• 38 citations
Publisher

Abstract

A universal approach is developed to study revivals of wave packets made of bound states with an arbitrary spectrum ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{n}}$ exhibiting hierarchical time scales. An analytic expression in form of a recursion formula is derived, which allows for a given wave packet the prediction of all revival times in any time scale. The theory is applied to metallic Rydberg clusters, i.e., two oppositely charged metallic clusters in a bound state with high angular momentum, taking into account their mutual polarization connected with a complicated n dependence of the spectrum ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{n}}$. The theoretical predictions are compared with numerical results using a stroboscopic picture of the autocorrelation function. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.54.1154

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Long-term evolution and revival structure of Rydberg wave packets for hydrogen and alkali-metal atoms

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The Revival Structure of Rydberg Wave Packets Beyond the Revival Time

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A time–frequency analysis of wave packet fractional revivals

Suranjana Ghosh, J. Banerji

We show that the time frequency analysis of the autocorrelation function is, in many ways, a more appropriate tool to resolve fractional revivals of a wave packet than the usual time domain analysis. This advantage is crucial in reconstructing the initial state of the wave packet when its coherent structure is short-lived and decays before it is fully revived. Our calculations are based on the model example of fractional revivals in a Rydberg wave packet of circular states. We end by providing an analytical investigation which fully agrees with our numerical observations on the utility of time-frequency analysis in the study of wave packet fractional revivals.

arXiv:0706.1576•Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Aug 28, 2007•15 citations
A universal approach is developed to study revivals of wave packets made of bound states with an arbitrary spectrum En{\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{n}}En​ exhibiting hierarchical time scales. An analytic expression in form of a recursion formula is derived, which allows for a given wave packet the prediction of all revival times in any time scale. The theory is applied to metallic Rydberg clusters, i.e., two oppositely charged metallic clusters in a bound state with high angular momentum, taking into account their mutual polarization connected with a complicated n dependence of the spectrum En{\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{n}}En​. The theoretical predictions are compared with numerical results using a stroboscopic picture of the autocorrelation function. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
This paper begins with an examination of the revival structure and long-term evolution of Rydberg wave packets for hydrogen. We show that after the initial cycle of collapse and fractional or full revival, which occurs on the time scale trev{\mathit{t}}_{\mathrm{rev}}trev​, a new sequence of revivals begins. We find that the structure of the new revivals is different from that of the fractional revivals. The new revivals are characterized by periodicities in the motion of the wave packet with periods that are fractions of the revival time scale trev{\mathit{t}}_{\mathrm{rev}}trev​. These long-term periodicities result in the autocorrelation function at times greater than trev{\mathit{t}}_{\mathrm{rev}}trev​ having a self-similar resemblance to its structure for times less than trev{\mathit{t}}_{\mathrm{rev}}trev​. The new sequence of revivals culminates with the formation of a single wave packet that more closely resembles the initial wave packet than does the full revival at time trev{\mathit{t}}_{\mathrm{rev}}trev​, i.e., a superrevival forms. Explicit examples of the superrevival structure for both circular and radial wave packets are given. We then study wave packets in alkali-metal atoms, which are typically used in experiments. The behavior of these packets is affected by the presence of quantum defects that modify the hydrogenic revival time scales and periodicities. Their behavior can be treated analytically using supersymmetry-based quantum-defect theory. We illustrate our results for alkali-metal atoms with explicit examples of the revival structure for radial wave packets in rubidium.
The revival structure and evolution of Rydberg wave packets are studied on a time scale much greater than the revival time trevt_{\rm rev}trev​. We find a new level of revival structure and periodic motion different from that of the known fractional revivals. The new sequence of revivals culminates with the formation of a wave packet that more closely resembles the initial packet than does the full revival at time trevt_{\rm rev}trev​. We refer to such a revival as a superrevival. We also show that an initial radial wave packet may be described as a type of squeezed state known as a radial squeezed state. Our results apply not only for hydrogenic wave packets, but for wave packets in alkali-metal atoms as well in the context of quantum defect theory.
We investigate many characteristic features of revival and fractional revival phenomena via derived analytic expressions for an autocorrelation function of a one-dimensional Rydberg atom with weighting probabilities modelled by a Gaussian or a Lorentzian distribution. The fractional revival phenomenon in the ionization probabilities of a one-dimensional Rydberg atom irradiated by two short half-cycle pulses is also studied. When many states are involved in the formation of the wave packet, the revival is lower and broader than the initial wave packet and the fractional revivals overlap and disappear with time.
After a Rydberg wave packet forms, it is known to undergo a series of collapses and revivals within a time period called the revival time trevt_{\rm rev}trev​, at the end of which it resembles its original shape. We study the behavior of Rydberg wave packets on time scales much greater than trevt_{\rm rev}trev​. We find that after a few revival cycles the wave packet ceases to reform at multiples of the revival time. Instead, a new series of collapses and revivals commences, culminating after a time period tsr≫trevt_{\rm sr} \gg t_{\rm rev}tsr​≫trev​ with the formation of a wave packet that more closely resembles the initial packet than does the full revival at time trevt_{\rm rev}trev​. Furthermore, at times that are rational fractions of tsrt_{\rm sr}tsr​, we show that the motion of the wave packet is periodic with periodicities that can be expressed as fractions of the revival time trevt_{\rm rev}trev​. These periodicities indicate a new type of fractional revival, occurring for times much greater than trevt_{\rm rev}trev​. We also examine the effects of quantum defects and laser detunings on the revival structure of Rydberg wave packets for alkali-metal atoms.
We examine the long-term time dependence of Gaussian wave packets in a circular infinite well (billiard) system and find that there are approximate revivals. For the special case of purely m=0m=0m=0 states (central wave packets with no momentum) the revival time is ${T}_{\mathrm{rev}}^{(m=0)}=8\ensuremath{\mu}{R}^{2}/\ensuremath{\Elzxh}\ensuremath{\pi},$ where $\ensuremath{\mu}$ is the mass of the particle, and the revivals are almost exact. For all other wave packets, we find that ${T}_{\mathrm{rev}}^{(m\ensuremath{\ne}0)}=({\ensuremath{\pi}}^{2}{/2)T}_{\mathrm{rev}}^{(m=0)}\ensuremath{\approx}{5T}_{\mathrm{rev}}^{(m=0)}$ and the nature of the revivals becomes increasingly approximate as the average angular momentum or number of $m\ensuremath{\ne}0$ states is increased. The dependence of the revival structure on the initial position, energy, and angular momentum of the wave packet and the connection to the energy spectrum is discussed in detail. The results are also compared to two other highly symmetrical two-dimensional infinite well geometries with exact revivals, namely, the square and equilateral triangle billiards. We also show explicitly how the classical periodicity for closed orbits in a circular billiard arises from the energy eigenvalue spectrum, using a WKB analysis.
We show that the time frequency analysis of the autocorrelation function is, in many ways, a more appropriate tool to resolve fractional revivals of a wave packet than the usual time domain analysis. This advantage is crucial in reconstructing the initial state of the wave packet when its coherent structure is short-lived and decays before it is fully revived. Our calculations are based on the model example of fractional revivals in a Rydberg wave packet of circular states. We end by providing an analytical investigation which fully agrees with our numerical observations on the utility of time-frequency analysis in the study of wave packet fractional revivals.