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Physical Review A

Field ionization of then=8–15states of sodium

James L. Dexter, Thomas F. Gallagher

Published Feb 1, 1987• 6 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We report the electric field ionization of the n=8--15 levels of Na using field pulses of rise time \ensuremath{\sim}1 \ensuremath{\mu}s. The passage from low to high field is adiabatic, and the fields required for \ensuremath{\Vert}${m}_{l}$\ensuremath{\Vert}=0, 1, and 2 states are 3.12(9)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{8}$${n}_{s}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4}$ V/cm, 3.37(11)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{8}$${n}_{s}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4}$ V/cm, and 3.68(21)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{8}$${n}_{s}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4}$ V/cm. Here ${n}_{s}$ is the effective quantum number in the ionizing field. These values are in agreement with those determined previously for higher-lying states.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.35.1934

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We report the electric field ionization of the n=8--15 levels of Na using field pulses of rise time \ensuremath{\sim}1 \ensuremath{\mu}s. The passage from low to high field is adiabatic, and the fields required for \ensuremath{\Vert}ml{m}_{l}ml​\ensuremath{\Vert}=0, 1, and 2 states are 3.12(9)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{8}$${n}_{s}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4} V/cm, 3.37(11)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{8}$${n}_{s}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4} V/cm, and 3.68(21)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{8}$${n}_{s}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4} V/cm. Here ns{n}_{s}ns​ is the effective quantum number in the ionizing field. These values are in agreement with those determined previously for higher-lying states.
We have observed the selective ionization of the degenerate ∣mj∣|{m}_{j}|∣mj​∣ levels of sss, ppp, and ddd states of sodium in the range of nnn from 15 to 20 and have shown that atoms produced in these low-field (\ensuremath{\sim} 10 V/cm) states pass adiabatically from low-field ∣mj∣|{m}_{j}|∣mj​∣ to intermediate-field ∣ml∣|{m}_{l}|∣ml​∣ states. Experiments on the Stark manifold states in intermediate fields (\ensuremath{\sim} 1 kV/cm) and high fields (\ensuremath{\sim} 4 kV/cm) show that the ∣ml∣=0and1|{m}_{l}|=0 \mathrm{and} 1∣ml​∣=0and1 states pass adiabatically from intermediate- to high-field states and that the passage of the ∣ml∣=2|{m}_{l}|=2∣ml​∣=2 states is very nearly adiabatic. These findings suggest a general approach for predicting the threshold fields for ionization of atomic Rydberg states.
We have studied the ionization of Na ns and nd Rydberg atoms by \ensuremath{\sim}1-\ensuremath{\mu}s pulses of 10-MHz, 670-MHz, 2-GHz, and 4-GHz fields, bridging the gap between the previous measurements of ionization by \ensuremath{\sim}1-\ensuremath{\mu}s rise-time pulses and 8- and 15-GHz microwave fields. We have also studied the ionization of Li ns and nd Rydberg atoms by 4-, 8-, and 15-GHz fields, which, due to the smaller Li quantum defects, represents the high-frequency limit of nonhydrogenic microwave ionization. The Na measurements show that ionization at 10 MHz occurs without change in n at fields of 1/16n4{\mathit{n}}^{4}n4 and 1/9n4{\mathit{n}}^{4}n4. At 670 MHz \ensuremath{\Vert}m\ensuremath{\Vert}=0, 1, and 2 states are all ionized at fields between 1/3n5{\mathit{n}}^{5}n5 and 1/9n4{\mathit{n}}^{4}n4, indicating that transitions to higher-n states are occurring. As the frequency is raised further, to 2 and 4 GHz, the \ensuremath{\Vert}m\ensuremath{\Vert}=0 and 1 states exhibit an increasingly sharp threshold for ionization at E=1/3n5{\mathit{n}}^{5}n5, but the \ensuremath{\Vert}m\ensuremath{\Vert}=2 states are unlikely to ionize at this field, with ionization occurring mostly at higher fields, 1/3n5{\mathit{n}}^{5}n5E1/9n4{\mathit{n}}^{4}n4, approaching the 15-GHz behavior of ionization at E=1/9n4{\mathit{n}}^{4}n4. At 4 GHz, Li n=20 \ensuremath{\Vert}m\ensuremath{\Vert}=0 and 1 states ionize at E=1/3n5{\mathit{n}}^{5}n5, but at n\ensuremath{\simeq}45, \ensuremath{\Vert}m\ensuremath{\Vert}=1 states ionize at E=1/9n4{\mathit{n}}^{4}n4, and the \ensuremath{\Vert}m\ensuremath{\Vert}=0 states ionize at E>1/3n5{\mathit{n}}^{5}n5. The \ensuremath{\Vert}m\ensuremath{\Vert}=2 states appear to ionize at E=1/9n4{\mathit{n}}^{4}n4. As the frequency is raised to 8 and then to 15 GHz, the transition of \ensuremath{\Vert}m\ensuremath{\Vert}=0 and 1 states to ionization at E=1/9n4{\mathit{n}}^{4}n4 occurs at lower n. When a small static field is applied, the Li ionization threshold fields drop from 1/9n4{\mathit{n}}^{4}n4 to fields somewhat above 1/3n5{\mathit{n}}^{5}n5. Together the Na and Li measurements show that microwave ionization depends on a rate-limiting step, which is a resonant multiphoton transition.
Electric field ionization of excited Na atoms by microwave fields between 12 and 15 GHz exhibits several interesting phenomena. The ∣m∣=0and1|m|=0 \mathrm{and} 1∣m∣=0and1 states may be ionized with a very low microwave field, $\ensuremath{\sim}\frac{1}{{3n}^{5}}$, corresponding to the point at which the nnn and n+1n+1n+1 Stark manifolds of principal quantum numbers nnn and n+1n+1n+1 intersect. The ionization occurs by an atom's making a succession of Landau-Zener transitions to higher-lying states, finally reaching the classical ionization limit. The ∣m∣=2|m|=2∣m∣=2 states, on the other hand, ionize at a very high microwave field, $\ensuremath{\sim}\frac{1}{{9n}^{4}}$. Both these observations and the more familiar static or low-frequency result of ionization by a field of $\ensuremath{\sim}\frac{1}{{16n}^{4}}$ are all consistent with ionization in a completely classical fashion. The apparent differences are due to the dynamics of passing from zero field to a high ionizing field.
In the electric field ionization of highly excited sss, ppp, and ddd states of Na, we have observed one, two, and three ionization thresholds, respectively, reflecting the number of high-field ∣ml∣|{m}_{l}|∣ml​∣ states coming from the sss, ppp, and ddd states. Our observations indicate that the passage from low to intermediate field is adiabatic, and as a consequence we are able to achieve selective ionization of essentially degenerate low-field ∣ml∣|{m}_{l}|∣ml​∣ fine-structure levels.