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Physical Review A

Suppression of resonant multiphoton ionization via Rydberg states

Misha Ivanov

Published Feb 1, 1994• 32 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We discuss atomic stabilization in the process of resonance ionization via Rydberg states. We show that a strong resonance interaction between Rydberg states and a low-lying state substantially suppresses ionization. As a result, the population is trapped in the Rydberg states. Raman-type coupling of Rydberg states via the continuum is shown to be essential for the effect even when the bound-free interaction is weak.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.49.1165

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We discuss atomic stabilization in the process of resonance ionization via Rydberg states. We show that a strong resonance interaction between Rydberg states and a low-lying state substantially suppresses ionization. As a result, the population is trapped in the Rydberg states. Raman-type coupling of Rydberg states via the continuum is shown to be essential for the effect even when the bound-free interaction is weak.
Within a fully analytically solvable model, we discuss the mechanisms of strong-field suppression of ionization from the initial s state via a family of p Rydberg states to s and d continua. Both Raman coupling via a continuum between different p Rydberg states and Raman migration of population via d continuum from p to higher angular momentum f Rydberg states are considered. The results are compared with those obtained neglecting Raman couplings via the continuum between Rydberg states of the same and different angular momenta. A profound effect of Raman couplings on ionization is demonstrated.
It is shown that the rate and degree of ionization of an atom can be controlled by preparing a specific superposition of Rydberg states. This effect is due to the Raman interaction of Rydberg levels via resonant lower-lying levels of the atom. Depending on the initial population of an atom interacting with a strong laser field, the atom either ionizes completely or exhibits an extremely high degree of stability (in this case the probability of the atom remaining in a bound state when the laser pulse is switched off is close to 1). It is shown that states which are stable against ionization decay or, conversely, decay rapidly into the continuum can be prepared using double laser pulses with a controllable time delay.
The process of resonant multiphoton ionization of a hydrogen atom in the ground 1 s state is studied by direct numerical integration of the nonstationary Schrödinger equation for a quantum system in an electromagnetic field. The dependence of photoionization probability on the radiation intensity is found to be nonmonotonic. It is established that the minima of ionization correspond to multiphoton resonances between the ground state and one of the excited (Rydberg) atomic states perturbed by the laser field. It is shown that ionization is suppressed due to rearrangement of Rydberg states in a strong electromagnetic field and is accompanied by efficient Raman Λ transitions, which connect a set of closely lying Rydberg states via the continuum.
The interaction of a model Rydberg atom with a single photon quantum field is investigated. The atom is considered in the model of 'several bound states+continuum', so that the field-induced ionization from initially populated Rydberg states as well as the resonance coupling with a lower-lying bound state are taken into account. The significant suppression of the ionization due to interference mechanism is established and strong entanglement with a quantum field subsystem is found. Methods to control the atomic behavior and to produce strongly entangled atom–photon states are suggested. The possibility to measure the degree of entanglement experimentally is demonstrated.
We have observed suppression of ionization in Rydberg atoms irradiated by an intense short-pulse laser field. We find that single-photon ionization of the outer electron in a Ba 6snk Stark state can be severely suppressed relative to high-order (\ensuremath{\ge}3 photon) nonresonant multiphoton ionization of the tightly bound 6s core electron. This population trapping occurs in intense short laser pulses, where the bandwidth of the ionizing laser is greater than the spacings between adjacent Stark states, and may be due to a substantial modification of the initial Stark state via stimulated Raman processes through the continuum. The Ba+∗{\mathrm{Ba}}^{+\mathrm{*}}Ba+∗ ion should be left in a higly excited superposition state, or wave packet.
We show that, when an atom prepared in a high Rydberg state is one-photon ionized by a laser, a near resonance with some lower-lying state permits the formation of a nondecaying dark state of the coupled laser–atom system. This dark state traps population in an amount that increases to some upper limit as the laser radiation used becomes stronger. Thus the dark state formed causes a decrease in the Rydberg-atom ionization with increasing laser intensity, i.e., stabilization, which survives even for long times. This long-time stabilization is described by a simple zero-pole formula, and the physical meaning of the term long time is explained. We estimate, for model situations, the laser frequencies that ensure dark-state formation and maximum ionization suppression. The laser pulse intensity and duration that are required for the observation of the dark state are evaluated.