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Physical Review A

Multistep transitions between Rydberg states of Na induced by blackbody radiation

Enrique J. Galvez, John R. Lewis, B. Chaudhuri, J. J. Rasweiler, Harri M. Latvakoski, F. De Zela, E. Massoni, Hernán Castillo

Published May 1, 1995• 29 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We report on measurements of the time dependence of the populations of Rydberg states of Na with n=25--33 produced by stepwise excitation or deexcitation from the initially populated state 28s, stimulated by room-temperature blackbody radiation. We also present a theoretical modeling of the experiments, which mainly consists of solving the set of coupled rate equations for all the states involved. The results of the calculations show that for times of the order of the lifetime of 28s the populations of ns and nd states produced via two-step transitions can be up to 30% of the populations of np states. We also find that np states get repopulated via three-step transitions at the 2--12 % level. A comparison between the data and calculations shows good agreement.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.51.4010

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We report on measurements of the time dependence of the populations of Rydberg states of Na with n=25--33 produced by stepwise excitation or deexcitation from the initially populated state 28s, stimulated by room-temperature blackbody radiation. We also present a theoretical modeling of the experiments, which mainly consists of solving the set of coupled rate equations for all the states involved. The results of the calculations show that for times of the order of the lifetime of 28s the populations of ns and nd states produced via two-step transitions can be up to 30% of the populations of np states. We also find that np states get repopulated via three-step transitions at the 2--12 % level. A comparison between the data and calculations shows good agreement.
Results of theoretical calculations of ionization rates of Rb and Na Rydberg atoms by blackbody radiation (BBR) are presented. Calculations have been performed for nSnSnS, nPnPnP, and nDnDnD states of Na and Rb, which are commonly used in a variety of experiments, at principal quantum numbers n=8−−65n=8--65n=8−−65 and at three ambient temperatures of 77, 300, and 600K600\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}600K. A peculiarity of our calculations is that we take into account the contributions of BBR-induced redistribution of population between Rydberg states prior to photoionization and field ionization by extraction electric field pulses. The obtained results show that these phenomena affect both the magnitude of measured ionization rates and shapes of their dependences on nnn. The calculated ionization rates are compared with the results of our earlier measurements of BBR-induced ionization rates of Na nSnSnS and nDnDnD Rydberg states with n=8−−20n=8--20n=8−−20 at 300K300\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}300K. A good agreement for all states except nSnSnS with n>15n>15n>15 is observed. We also present the useful analytical formulas for the quick estimation of BBR ionization rates of Rydberg atoms.
We report on measurements of the population of Rydberg states of Na in a constant electric field that result when 300-K blackbody radiation induces transitions from initial states with |m|=0,1 to neighboring states. Our measurements included comprehensive ranges of initial states (ni∗{\mathrm{n}}_{\mathrm{i}}^{\mathrm{*}}ni∗​=24--29), repopulation times (td{\mathrm{t}}_{\mathrm{d}}td​=0--50 \ensuremath{\mu}s), and fields (Fs{\mathrm{F}}_{\mathrm{s}}Fs​=175--712 V/cm). We find that the population is redistributed nonuniformly among states neighboring the initial state, reflective of sharp resonances between the states. By comparing calculations of transition probabilities in Na to the data for Fs{\mathrm{F}}_{\mathrm{s}}Fs​=200 V/cm we were able to identify the populated states. Comparisons with calculations in H reveal that these resonances are hydrogenic.
We have studied ionization of alkali-metal Rydberg atoms by blackbody radiation (BBR). The results of theoretical calculations of ionization rates of Li, Na, K, Rb and Cs Rydberg atoms are presented. The calculations have been performed for nS, nP and nD states for principal quantum numbers n=8-65 at ambient temperatures of 77, 300 and 600 K. The calculations take into account the contributions of BBR-induced redistribution of population between Rydberg states prior to photoionization and field ionization by extraction electric field pulses. The obtained results show that these phenomena affect both the magnitude of the measured ionization rates and their n-dependence. A Cooper minimum for BBR-induced transitions between bound Rydberg states of Li has been found. The calculated ionization rates are compared with our earlier measurements of BBR-induced ionization rates of Na nS and nD Rydberg states with n=8-20 at 300 K. A good agreement for all states except nS with n> 15 is observed. Useful analytical formulas for quick estimates of BBR ionization rates of Rydberg atoms are presented. Application of BBR-induced ionization signal to
The results of theoretical calculations of the blackbody ionization rates of lithium, potassium, and cesium atoms residing in Rydberg states are presented. The calculations are performed for nS , nP , and nD states in a wide range of principal quantum numbers, n = 8−65, for blackbody radiation temperatures T = 77, 300, and 600 K. The calculations are performed using the known quasi-classical formulas for the photoionization cross sections and for the radial matrix elements of transitions in the discrete spectrum. The effect of the blackbody-radiation-induced population redistribution between Rydberg states on the blackbody ionization rates measured under laboratory conditions is quantitatively analyzed. Simple analytical formulas that approximate the numerical results and that can be used to estimate the blackbody ionization rates of Rydberg atoms are presented. For the S series of lithium, the rate of population of high-lying Rydberg levels by blackbody radiation is found to anomalously behave as a function of n . This anomaly is similar to the occurrence of the Cooper minimum in the discrete spectrum.
Rates of depopulation by blackbody radiation (BBR) and effective lifetimes of alkali-metal nSnSnS, nPnPnP, and nDnDnD Rydberg states have been calculated in a wide range of principal quantum numbers $n\ensuremath{\le}80$ at the ambient temperatures of 77, 300, and 600 K. Quasiclassical formulas were used to calculate the radial matrix elements of the dipole transitions from Rydberg states. Good agreement of our numerical results with the available theoretical and experimental data has been found. We have also obtained simple analytical formulas for estimates of effective lifetimes and BBR-induced depopulation rates, which well agree with the numerical data.
Transitions between energetically close-lying Rydberg states are characterized by large electric dipole matrix elements and frequencies low enough that at room temperature the photon occupation number is \ensuremath{\simeq} 10. Consequently the absorption of blackbody radiation and the stimulated emission produced by it lead to an efficient redistribution of population among nearby levels. In some cases dramatic effects are observed, for example, radiative lifetimes that are shortened to a small fraction of their T=0T=0T=0 values. In addition, the 300-K blackbody field of \ensuremath{\sim}10 V/cm produces ac Stark shifts of the Rydberg levels. Calculations of the population redistribution effects and ac Stark shifts are presented. Examples are given to illustrate that care must be taken in experiments with highly excited atoms to ensure that only one state is being observed rather than a distribution.