Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Journal of Modern Optics

Highly Excited Hydrogen in Strong D.C. Electric Fields: Atomic Engineering

Munir Hasan Nayfeh

Published Mar 1, 1988• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

We excite atomic hydrogen from the ground state via a three-photon process to high-lying excited states in the presence of strong d.c. electric fields. The external field is used to manipulate, control, and design specific atomic structures. We can construct nearly ‘one-dimensional’ atoms whose electronic distributions are highly extended along the field, and which may have enormous electric dipole moments (‘giant-dipole atoms’).

DOI
10.1080/09500348814550341

Related papers

One-dimensional giant dipole atoms

Munir Hasan Nayfeh, Dong-Yong Yao, Y. Ying +3 more

An external dc electric field imposed on highly excited atomic hydrogen is used to construct nearly one‐dimensional atoms which have enormous dipole moments and whose electric distribution is highly extended along the field. As the external field strength rises, the highly excited hydrogen atoms become less and less hydrogenetic. (AIP)

AIP conference proceedings•Jan 1, 1986•4 citations

Electric field enhancement of depolarization of excited states

Munir Hasan Nayfeh, G. Barry Hillard, Wallace L. Glab

Our calculations show that an external dc electric field can enhance by many orders of magnitude the depolarization cross section of highly excited atoms by charged particles. The enhancement is due to the fact that the electric field extends and shifts the electronic charge distribution along its direction, thus effectively creating a giant electric dipole in the atom.

Physical Review A•Dec 1, 1985•2 citations

Transition from Rydberg to giant-dipole-moment states of hydrogen atoms in crossed fields: A suggestion for an experiment

Vitali Averbukh, Nimrod Moiseyev, Peter Schmelcher +1 more

The pseudoseparation of the center of mass and relative motion of a hydrogen atom in crossed electric and magnetic fields led to a theoretical prediction of highly extended states localized in the outer potential well. These states correspond to an almost macroscopic separation between a proton and an electron, and give rise to giant dipole moments. In the present work we describe a simple, experimentally feasible, scheme for the preparation of a hydrogen atom in a superposition of such states. The preparation scheme is based on a two-step switching on of an external electric field, in the course of which the relative motion is trapped in the outer well. On the basis of classical simulations we suggest the experimental parameters at which trapping is achieved extremely efficiently.

Physical Review A•May 1, 1999•14 citations

Rydberg atoms

P. van der Straten, Harold J. Metcalf

Introduction Series of atomic spectral lines had been studied by emission from excited vapors even before Balmer described the regularity of the visible lines of hydrogen in 1884. However, direct excitation had been restricted to the few lowest-lying levels, particularly those accessible by electric dipole transitions from the ground state using classical light sources. The advent of tunable lasers in the 1970s changed such spectroscopic limitations enormonsly, allowing excitation to a very much larger number of states. Atoms in highly excited states, typically with principal quantum numbers n ≥ 10, are called Rydberg atoms. They are oversize, fragile states of significant intrinsic interest. They are very rare in nature because of their size and fragility, but they are found in interstellar space (H I regions). One of the best sources for comprehensive descriptions of Rydberg atoms and references to the literature describing their exploration is Ref. [120]. It describes their characteristic properties and behavior both classically and quantum mechanically, and especially their strongly enhanced interactions with external fields. The first thing to note is that Rydberg atoms are usually characterized by a single, highly excited electron while all the other electrons remain in their original states. Thus their properties are very nearly classical, and the atoms are much closer to the ideal hydrogen-like model of Chap. 7, along with appropriate quantum defects (see Chap. 10). The spectroscopy of such states is especially interesting because the active electron is much less perturbed by the other electrons in the atom than when it is in lower states. Moreover, there are some special circumstances in which the energy of a Rydberg state is degenerate with an atomic state having two electrons excited to lower levels, and such configurations yield further new information. Second, Rydberg atoms do not usually decay back to the ground state by emission of characteristic radiation, so their study is mediated by other techniques that reveal new and interesting properties. Such properties arise because Rydberg atoms have a huge dipole moment and very low binding energy resulting from the large average distance between the excited electron and the nucleus-plus-core of the rest of the atom with net charge e . Third, transitions between Rydberg states are quite different from those connecting to the ground state for at least three reasons.

Cambridge University Press eBooks•Dec 31, 2015•0 citations

Introduction

Eugene Oks

This introductory chapter presents the scope of this book: namely that the book is devoted to Rydberg (i.e., highly-excited) atoms and molecules They have striking distinctions to atoms and molecules in the ground or low-excited states. For Rydberg atoms, with the increase of the principal quantum number n, their characteristic size and the electric dipole moment scales as n 2 (which is why they are extremely sensitive to even weak electric fields and electromagnetic radiation) and their radiative lifetime scales as n 3. They strongly interact not only with an electric field, but also with each other: their dipole–dipole interaction scales as n 4/R 3 and their van der Waals interaction scales as n 11/R 6, where R is their separation from each other. In laboratory conditions experimentalists deal with Rydberg atoms having the quantum number of several tens. In the Universe, in H II regions, the principal quantum number of Rydberg atoms can reach n ~ 1000. In the latter case, the Rydberg atoms cannot be considered anymore as microscopic objects: the diameter of their electron orbit is ~ 0.1 mm, i.e., twice the diameter of human hair. Studies of Rydberg atoms and molecules have numerous applications. Examples are highly-responsive sensing, quantum optics (where the light is manipulated at the level of a single photon), quantum computing, quantum chaos, ultracold Rydberg gases and plasmas, anti-hydrogen formation, and plasma diagnostics.

Institute of Physics eBooks•Nov 1, 2021•0 citations

Methods for Controlling Electric Fields in Experiments with Single Rydberg Atoms

Alexandra SOLOGUB

The properties of Rydberg atoms are utilized for the implementation of quantum computers. Their large dipole moments provide strong interaction between qubits, as well as high sensitivity to external electric fields. Short-term laser excitation of atoms into Rydberg states allows for switching the interactions between qubits on and off, which is necessary for performing quantum operations and simulations. Within a high-vacuum cell, atoms are captured in a dipole trap. Ring electrodes, located inside the high-vacuum cell, are used to apply an electric field. In this work, the electric field distribution was obtained through numerical simulation using QuickField.

LaserPhys Youth School-Conference•Jan 1, 2025•0 citations
We excite atomic hydrogen from the ground state via a three-photon process to high-lying excited states in the presence of strong d.c. electric fields. The external field is used to manipulate, control, and design specific atomic structures. We can construct nearly ‘one-dimensional’ atoms whose electronic distributions are highly extended along the field, and which may have enormous electric dipole moments (‘giant-dipole atoms’).
The pseudoseparation of the center of mass and relative motion of a hydrogen atom in crossed electric and magnetic fields led to a theoretical prediction of highly extended states localized in the outer potential well. These states correspond to an almost macroscopic separation between a proton and an electron, and give rise to giant dipole moments. In the present work we describe a simple, experimentally feasible, scheme for the preparation of a hydrogen atom in a superposition of such states. The preparation scheme is based on a two-step switching on of an external electric field, in the course of which the relative motion is trapped in the outer well. On the basis of classical simulations we suggest the experimental parameters at which trapping is achieved extremely efficiently.
Introduction Series of atomic spectral lines had been studied by emission from excited vapors even before Balmer described the regularity of the visible lines of hydrogen in 1884. However, direct excitation had been restricted to the few lowest-lying levels, particularly those accessible by electric dipole transitions from the ground state using classical light sources. The advent of tunable lasers in the 1970s changed such spectroscopic limitations enormonsly, allowing excitation to a very much larger number of states. Atoms in highly excited states, typically with principal quantum numbers n ≥ 10, are called Rydberg atoms. They are oversize, fragile states of significant intrinsic interest. They are very rare in nature because of their size and fragility, but they are found in interstellar space (H I regions). One of the best sources for comprehensive descriptions of Rydberg atoms and references to the literature describing their exploration is Ref. [120]. It describes their characteristic properties and behavior both classically and quantum mechanically, and especially their strongly enhanced interactions with external fields. The first thing to note is that Rydberg atoms are usually characterized by a single, highly excited electron while all the other electrons remain in their original states. Thus their properties are very nearly classical, and the atoms are much closer to the ideal hydrogen-like model of Chap. 7, along with appropriate quantum defects (see Chap. 10). The spectroscopy of such states is especially interesting because the active electron is much less perturbed by the other electrons in the atom than when it is in lower states. Moreover, there are some special circumstances in which the energy of a Rydberg state is degenerate with an atomic state having two electrons excited to lower levels, and such configurations yield further new information. Second, Rydberg atoms do not usually decay back to the ground state by emission of characteristic radiation, so their study is mediated by other techniques that reveal new and interesting properties. Such properties arise because Rydberg atoms have a huge dipole moment and very low binding energy resulting from the large average distance between the excited electron and the nucleus-plus-core of the rest of the atom with net charge e . Third, transitions between Rydberg states are quite different from those connecting to the ground state for at least three reasons.
This introductory chapter presents the scope of this book: namely that the book is devoted to Rydberg (i.e., highly-excited) atoms and molecules They have striking distinctions to atoms and molecules in the ground or low-excited states. For Rydberg atoms, with the increase of the principal quantum number n, their characteristic size and the electric dipole moment scales as n 2 (which is why they are extremely sensitive to even weak electric fields and electromagnetic radiation) and their radiative lifetime scales as n 3. They strongly interact not only with an electric field, but also with each other: their dipole–dipole interaction scales as n 4/R 3 and their van der Waals interaction scales as n 11/R 6, where R is their separation from each other. In laboratory conditions experimentalists deal with Rydberg atoms having the quantum number of several tens. In the Universe, in H II regions, the principal quantum number of Rydberg atoms can reach n ~ 1000. In the latter case, the Rydberg atoms cannot be considered anymore as microscopic objects: the diameter of their electron orbit is ~ 0.1 mm, i.e., twice the diameter of human hair. Studies of Rydberg atoms and molecules have numerous applications. Examples are highly-responsive sensing, quantum optics (where the light is manipulated at the level of a single photon), quantum computing, quantum chaos, ultracold Rydberg gases and plasmas, anti-hydrogen formation, and plasma diagnostics.
The properties of Rydberg atoms are utilized for the implementation of quantum computers. Their large dipole moments provide strong interaction between qubits, as well as high sensitivity to external electric fields. Short-term laser excitation of atoms into Rydberg states allows for switching the interactions between qubits on and off, which is necessary for performing quantum operations and simulations. Within a high-vacuum cell, atoms are captured in a dipole trap. Ring electrodes, located inside the high-vacuum cell, are used to apply an electric field. In this work, the electric field distribution was obtained through numerical simulation using QuickField.