Photoassociation of 5 s n d 1 D 2 − 5 s 2 1 S 0 ultralong-range Rydberg dimers from an ultracold Sr 84 atomic gas in a magnetic field is studied. In the absence of magnetic fields, the electronic wave function is aligned along the rotating molecular axis through electron-atom scattering. With increasing magnetic field strength, the symmetry axis of the electron wave function becomes determined by the applied field. While the ground-state atom has no spin or net charge to interact directly with the magnetic field, the dimer wave function in the limit of strong magnetic field becomes aligned along the applied field. Photoassociation spectra show that with increasing field, an increasing number of rovibrational states are excited, indicating strong coupling between rotational states within the Rydberg dimer.Photoassociation of 5 s n d 1 D 2 − 5 s 2 1 S 0 ultralong-range Rydberg dimers from an ultracold Sr 84 atomic gas in a magnetic field is studied. In the absence of magnetic fields, the electronic wave function is aligned along the rotating molecular axis through electron-atom scattering. With increasing magnetic field strength, the symmetry axis of the electron wave function becomes determined by the applied field. While the ground-state atom has no spin or net charge to interact directly with the magnetic field, the dimer wave function in the limit of strong magnetic field becomes aligned along the applied field. Photoassociation spectra show that with increasing field, an increasing number of rovibrational states are excited, indicating strong coupling between rotational states within the Rydberg dimer.

Physical Review AJul 22, 20260 citations

The quantum behavior of an electron in a uniform magnetic field

Chun-Fang Li, Qi Wang

Physica B Condensed MatterJul 1, 199929 citations

H− and He in a uniform magnetic field: Ground-state wave functions, energies, and binding energies for fields below 109 G

Chang‐Hwan Park, Anthony F. Strace

Wave functions, energies, and binding energies for the lowest singlet states of ${\mathrm{H}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ and He in uniform magnetic fields $B<{10}^{9}$ G are calculated using an adiabatic approximation in hyperspherical coordinates. In computing the angular part of the wave functions, a coupled expansion in one-electron oblate spheroidal angle functions is used. In addition to contracting the two-electron wave function radially, the magnetic field is found to distort the angular part of the wave function mainly by reducing the $\mathrm{ss}^{1}S$ character of the state and replacing it with an $\mathrm{sd}^{1}D$ character. Results for energies and binding energies are comparable with those obtained in variational calculations. In order to compute the binding energies of ${\mathrm{H}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ and He we have also calculated the binding energies of the ground states of H and ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}$ in uniform magnetic fields $B<{10}^{9}$ G using the adiabatic oblate-spheroidal-coordinate method of Starace and Webster.Wave functions, energies, and binding energies for the lowest singlet states of ${\mathrm{H}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ and He in uniform magnetic fields $B<{10}^{9}$ G are calculated using an adiabatic approximation in hyperspherical coordinates. In computing the angular part of the wave functions, a coupled expansion in one-electron oblate spheroidal angle functions is used. In addition to contracting the two-electron wave function radially, the magnetic field is found to distort the angular part of the wave function mainly by reducing the $\mathrm{ss}^{1}S$ character of the state and replacing it with an $\mathrm{sd}^{1}D$ character. Results for energies and binding energies are comparable with those obtained in variational calculations. In order to compute the binding energies of ${\mathrm{H}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ and He we have also calculated the binding energies of the ground states of H and ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}$ in uniform magnetic fields $B<{10}^{9}$ G using the adiabatic oblate-spheroidal-coordinate method of Starace and Webster.

Physical Review AFeb 1, 198440 citations

Wave function of a charged particle in crossed electrostatic and variable magnetic fields

Yu. G. Pavlenko, Alexander S. Dement'ev

Russian Physics JournalMar 1, 19710 citations

Wave functions, energies, and binding energies for the lowest singlet states of ${\mathrm{H}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ and He in uniform magnetic fields

B<{10}^{9}

G are calculated using an adiabatic approximation in hyperspherical coordinates. In computing the angular part of the wave functions, a coupled expansion in one-electron oblate spheroidal angle functions is used. In addition to contracting the two-electron wave function radially, the magnetic field is found to distort the angular part of the wave function mainly by reducing the

\mathrm{ss}^{1}S

character of the state and replacing it with an

\mathrm{sd}^{1}D

character. Results for energies and binding energies are comparable with those obtained in variational calculations. In order to compute the binding energies of ${\mathrm{H}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ and He we have also calculated the binding energies of the ground states of H and

{\mathrm{He}}^{+}

in uniform magnetic fields

B<{10}^{9}

G using the adiabatic oblate-spheroidal-coordinate method of Starace and Webster.