Trap losses induced by Rydberg dressing of cold atomic gases

Sylvain Schwartz

J. A. Aman, B. J. DeSalvo, F. B. Dunning +3 more

The near-resonant dressing of cold strontium gases and Bose-Einstein condensates contained in an optical dipole trap (ODT) with the $5s30s^{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}3}S_{1}$ Rydberg state is investigated as a function of the effective two-photon Rabi frequency, detuning, and dressing time. The measurements demonstrate that a rapid decrease in the ground-state atom population in the ODT occurs even for weak dressing and when well detuned from resonance. This decrease is attributed to Rydberg atom excitation, which can lead to direct escape from the trap and to population of very long-lived $5s5p^{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}3}P_{0,2}$ metastable states. The effects of interactions between Rydberg atoms, including those populated by blackbody radiation, are analyzed. The work has important implications when considering the use of Rydberg dressing to control the interactions between dressed ground-state atoms.

G. Labeyrie, Robin Kaiser, Dominique Delande

Brenton Knuffman, Georg A. Raithel

B. J. DeSalvo, J. A. Aman, F. B. Dunning +3 more

Studies of near-resonant dressing of cold strontium gases and BECs held in an optical dipole trap (ODT) with the 30 3 S 1 Rydberg state reveal that, even when well detuned from resonance, such dressing can lead to a rapid decrease in the ground state atom population in the trap. This decrease is attributed to Rydberg atom excitation, which can trigger direct escape from the trap and population of long-lived metastable states.

Jader Cabral, Luis Gon ccalves, Jorge Douglas Massayuki Kondo +1 more