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Physical Review A

Millimeter spectroscopy in sodium Rydberg states: Quantum-defect, fine-structure, and polarizability measurements

Claude Fabre, S. Haroche, P. Goy

Published Jul 1, 1978• 76 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Millimeter resonances corresponding to single- and double-photon transitions have been observed between Rydberg levels of sodium with principal quantum number $n$ ranging from 23 to 41. The levels are prepared by laser excitation; transitions are induced by microwaves produced by a backwave oscillator working around 300 GHz; detection is performed through the selective field-ionization technique. Experimental values for quantum defects, fine-structure intervals, and polarizabilities are reported.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.18.229

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Millimeter resonances corresponding to single- and double-photon transitions have been observed between Rydberg levels of sodium with principal quantum number nnn ranging from 23 to 41. The levels are prepared by laser excitation; transitions are induced by microwaves produced by a backwave oscillator working around 300 GHz; detection is performed through the selective field-ionization technique. Experimental values for quantum defects, fine-structure intervals, and polarizabilities are reported.
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We present precise measurements of the quantum defects of cesium nFJn{F}_{J}nFJ​ Rydberg levels. We employ high-precision microwave spectroscopy of $(n+2){D}_{5/2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}n{F}_{5/2,7/2}$ transitions for n=45n=45n=45 to 50 in a cold-atom setup. Cold cesium (n+2)D5/2(n+2){D}_{5/2}(n+2)D5/2​ atoms, prepared via two-photon laser excitation, are probed by scanning weak microwave fields interacting with the atoms across the nF5/2,7/2n{F}_{5/2,7/2}nF5/2,7/2​ resonances. Transition spectra are acquired using state-selective electric-field ionization and time-gated ion detection. Transition-frequency intervals are obtained by Lorentzian fits to the measured spectral lines, which have linewidths ranging between 70 and 190 kHz, corresponding to about one to three times the Fourier limit. A comprehensive analysis of relevant line-shift uncertainties and line-broadening effects is conducted. We find quantum defect parameters ${\ensuremath{\delta}}_{0}({F}_{5/2})=0.033\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}415\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}37(70)$ and ${\ensuremath{\delta}}_{2}({F}_{5/2})=\ensuremath{-}0.2014(16)$, as well as ${\ensuremath{\delta}}_{0}({F}_{7/2})=0.033\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}564\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}6(13)$ and ${\ensuremath{\delta}}_{2}({F}_{7/2})=\ensuremath{-}0.2052(29)$, for J=5/2J=5/2J=5/2 and 7/27/27/2, respectively. Fine-structure parameters AFS{A}_{\mathrm{FS}}AFS​ and BFS{B}_{\mathrm{FS}}BFS​ for Cs nFJn{F}_{J}nFJ​ are also obtained. Results are discussed in context with previous works, and the significance of the results is discussed.
The results of experimental and theoretical investigations of the fine structure of the spectrum of the microwave transition 37 P -37 S in sodium Rydberg atoms in a weak electric field are reported. New data are obtained on the experimental values of the scalar and tensor polarizabilities of the 37 P level. A numerical simulation of the Stark diagram, taking into account the influence of the anticrossings of the Rydberg levels, is performed, and the results are found to be in good agreement with experiment.
One- and two-photon transitions between neighboring Rydberg states of rubidium with principal quantum numbers ranging from n = 50 to n = 63 have been studied. From these transition frequencies, corresponding to wavelengths in the centimeter domain, new values for quantum defects and fine- and hyperfine-structure splittings were obtained. The hyperfine structure of the 2S1/2 states was resolved up to n = 59. The data are compared with optically determined spectroscopic parameters, and fair agreement is found in most cases.
An interaction of microwave radiation with high-excited (Rydberg) atoms has been suggested to be used for radiation detection and measurement of its frequency. Our objective in the present work was to investigate experimentally and theoretically the spectrum of the microwave transition 37P-37S in sodium Rydberg atoms in a weak static electric field and to perform accurate measurements of the scalar and tensor polarizabilities of the 37P level. Knowledge of polarizabilities is required to find a magnitude of energy level shifts in atom by known static electric fields. The Na S and P states possess large quantum defects (1.347 and 0.854, respectively), so that a quadratic Stark effect in weak fields is characteristic for these levels.