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Physical Review A

Field ionization of Rydberg atoms in a single-cycle pulse

Baozhu Yang, F. Robicheaux

Published Apr 13, 2015• 18 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We study the ionization of Rydberg atoms in a single-cycle-pulse electric field based on both classical and quantum calculations. The ionization-probability curve exhibits a ``ripple'' structure as a function of the pulse duration and the field amplitude. These ripple structures are found to be dependent on the angular distribution of the initial state. A large electron-emission asymmetry is observed, and the ionized electron is almost completely emitted to one side of the atom except when the pulse length is roughly one Rydberg period. In both the long-pulse and the short-pulse regimes, larger electron energy can be expected from the ionization of lower-lying Rydberg states, matching the observation in a recent experiment [S. Li and R. R. Jones, Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 143006 (2014)]. This trend is closely related to the electron-emission asymmetry associated with the field-direction change in a single-cycle pulse. The possible implications of the different energy transfer in a single-cycle pulse from that in a multicycle pulse are also discussed briefly for the strong-field ionization of the ground atomic state.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.91.043407

Related papers

Basic Energy Sciences, under Award number DE-SC0012193.

Baochun Yang, F. Robicheaux

ization of Rydberg atoms by a single-cycle pulse, and also its implications for the strong field ionization of ground state. The required threshold field amplitude (for 10% ionization probability) scales inversely with the binding energy of initial states and also the pulse-duration square when the pulse duration becomes much shorter than the classical Rydberg period. A simple model is introduced to understand this threshold behavior, where the nonzero displacement induced by a single-cycle pulse plays a critical role. By combining with the adiabatic-ionization threshold in the low-frequency limit, an ionization window is expected for the ionization of different states. The ionization-probability curve exhibits a “ripple” structure as a function of the pulse duration and the field amplitude, which is sensitive to the angular distribution of initial states. The observation of larger emitted-electron energy for the ionization of lower-lying Rydberg states in a recent experiment [S Li and R. R. Jones, Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 143006 (2014)] is confirmed in our calculations for both sodium and hydrogen atoms. The differences between the ionization dynamics in a single-cycle pulse and that in a multi-cycle pulse are also discussed and presented.

•Jan 1, 2015•0 citations

Field-ionization threshold and its induced ionization-window phenomenon for Rydberg atoms in a short single-cycle pulse

B. C. Yang, F. Robicheaux

We study the field-ionization threshold behavior when a Rydberg atom is ionized by a short single-cycle pulse field. Both hydrogen and sodium atoms are considered. The required threshold field amplitude is found to scale inversely with the binding energy when the pulse duration becomes shorter than the classical Rydberg period, and, thus, more weakly bound electrons require larger fields for ionization. This threshold scaling behavior is confirmed by both three-dimensional classical trajectory Monte Carlo simulations and numerically solving the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation. More surprisingly, the same scaling behavior in the short pulse limit is also followed by the ionization thresholds for much lower bound states, including the hydrogen ground state. An empirical formula is obtained from a simple model, and the dominant ionization mechanism is identified as a nonzero spatial displacement of the electron. This displacement ionization should be another important mechanism beyond the tunneling ionization and the multiphoton ionization. In addition, an ``ionization window'' is shown to exist for the ionization of Rydberg states, which may have potential applications to selectively modify and control the Rydberg-state population of atoms and molecules.

arXiv:1410.0970•Physical Review A•Dec 5, 2014•23 citations

Half-cycle microwave ionization of Rydberg atoms: beyond diabatic ionization

Philip Trøst Kristensen, G. M. Lankhuijzen, Lambertus D. Noordam

Ionization of Rydberg atoms by short, half-cycle electrical pulses is investigated experimentally in the intermediate-pulse duration regime where the ionization threshold fields are determined both by the slew rate of the ionizing pulse and its duration. Electrical pulses with durations ranging from 140 ps to 9 ns and amplitudes up to are applied to rubidium and lithium atoms prepared in high Rydberg states by laser excitation (n ranges from 42 to 82). The amplitude of the 140 ps pulse required for ionization of the Rb and Li Rydberg population is found to be a factor of two higher than the expected amplitude based on diabatic field ionization and recent theoretical calculations by Reinhold et al (1993 26 L659). Using the longer pulses we studied the transition from the diabatic/adabatic ionization towards ionization in the impulse-kick regime.

Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Mar 28, 1997•16 citations

Scaling properties of field ionization of Rydberg atoms in single-cycle THz pulses: 1D considerations

Hicham Agueny, M Chovancova, J. P. Hansen +1 more

Abstract In recent experiments of single-cycle field ionization of excited Na( nd ) atoms with principal quantum number n ∈ [ 6 , 15 ] (Li and Jones 2014 Phys. Rev. Lett. 112 143006 ) it was shown that the maximum field intensity necessary to ionize 10% of the atoms decreases with increasing n according to an n − 3 power law dependence. This scaling property at the same ionization probability was confirmed in classical trajectory Monte Carlo calculations. In this work we note that the scaling relation in the experiment is much more general, it is in fact valid for all ionization probabilities. When applied to the emitted electron energies it places a very wide distribution of electron momenta from different initial states onto a narrow range. These aspects are investigated in a one-dimensional model with a 3D hydrogen-like spectrum. Calculations confirm the general n − 3 scaling relation for the ionization probability and that this particular scaling of the kinetic emission spectrum puts the ejected electron momenta on a narrow common scale. The ionization mechanism itself is identified as quantum mechanical tunneling and the nature of the tunneling process is the direct origin of the scaling law.

Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Nov 25, 2016•8 citations

Ionization of Rydberg atoms by half-cycle pulses

Carlos O Reinhold, Michael Melles, Hai Shao +1 more

We study the ionization of Rydberg atoms by half-cycle electromagnetic pulses as a function of the duration of the pulses covering a broad range of time intervals connecting the adiabatic and sudden regimes. The threshold fields for ionization lie on a universal classical scaling invariant curve. We present quantum mechanical results which agree well with the universal curve. The n -2 threshold field scaling found experimentally is a linear approximation to the universal curve by the tangent in the region where the pulse duration is of the order of the orbital period of the atom. We predict the existence of an ultrashort pulse limit in which the threshold field scales as n -1 . Effects due to the non-hydrogenic core are negligible.

Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Oct 14, 1993•83 citations

Asymmetry in the Strong-Field Ionization of Rydberg Atoms by Few-Cycle Pulses

Andreas Gürtler, F. Robicheaux, Wim J. van der Zande +1 more

We present measurements of the electron ejection direction in the ionization of high (n=90) Rydberg states of rubidium subjected to few-cycle radio-frequency (RF) pulses. For weak pulses we find a strong asymmetry for even (cosine) pulses and no asymmetry for odd (sine) pulses. This asymmetry disappears for pulses longer than four RF cycles. For strong pulses, very large asymmetry is found for both sine and cosine pulses that persists up to eight RF cycles and is attributed to initial state depletion effects within a cycle.

Physical Review Letters•Jan 22, 2004•38 citations
We study the ionization of Rydberg atoms in a single-cycle-pulse electric field based on both classical and quantum calculations. The ionization-probability curve exhibits a ``ripple'' structure as a function of the pulse duration and the field amplitude. These ripple structures are found to be dependent on the angular distribution of the initial state. A large electron-emission asymmetry is observed, and the ionized electron is almost completely emitted to one side of the atom except when the pulse length is roughly one Rydberg period. In both the long-pulse and the short-pulse regimes, larger electron energy can be expected from the ionization of lower-lying Rydberg states, matching the observation in a recent experiment [S. Li and R. R. Jones, Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 143006 (2014)]. This trend is closely related to the electron-emission asymmetry associated with the field-direction change in a single-cycle pulse. The possible implications of the different energy transfer in a single-cycle pulse from that in a multicycle pulse are also discussed briefly for the strong-field ionization of the ground atomic state.
ization of Rydberg atoms by a single-cycle pulse, and also its implications for the strong field ionization of ground state. The required threshold field amplitude (for 10% ionization probability) scales inversely with the binding energy of initial states and also the pulse-duration square when the pulse duration becomes much shorter than the classical Rydberg period. A simple model is introduced to understand this threshold behavior, where the nonzero displacement induced by a single-cycle pulse plays a critical role. By combining with the adiabatic-ionization threshold in the low-frequency limit, an ionization window is expected for the ionization of different states. The ionization-probability curve exhibits a “ripple” structure as a function of the pulse duration and the field amplitude, which is sensitive to the angular distribution of initial states. The observation of larger emitted-electron energy for the ionization of lower-lying Rydberg states in a recent experiment [S Li and R. R. Jones, Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 143006 (2014)] is confirmed in our calculations for both sodium and hydrogen atoms. The differences between the ionization dynamics in a single-cycle pulse and that in a multi-cycle pulse are also discussed and presented.
We study the field-ionization threshold behavior when a Rydberg atom is ionized by a short single-cycle pulse field. Both hydrogen and sodium atoms are considered. The required threshold field amplitude is found to scale inversely with the binding energy when the pulse duration becomes shorter than the classical Rydberg period, and, thus, more weakly bound electrons require larger fields for ionization. This threshold scaling behavior is confirmed by both three-dimensional classical trajectory Monte Carlo simulations and numerically solving the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation. More surprisingly, the same scaling behavior in the short pulse limit is also followed by the ionization thresholds for much lower bound states, including the hydrogen ground state. An empirical formula is obtained from a simple model, and the dominant ionization mechanism is identified as a nonzero spatial displacement of the electron. This displacement ionization should be another important mechanism beyond the tunneling ionization and the multiphoton ionization. In addition, an ``ionization window'' is shown to exist for the ionization of Rydberg states, which may have potential applications to selectively modify and control the Rydberg-state population of atoms and molecules.
Ionization of Rydberg atoms by short, half-cycle electrical pulses is investigated experimentally in the intermediate-pulse duration regime where the ionization threshold fields are determined both by the slew rate of the ionizing pulse and its duration. Electrical pulses with durations ranging from 140 ps to 9 ns and amplitudes up to are applied to rubidium and lithium atoms prepared in high Rydberg states by laser excitation (n ranges from 42 to 82). The amplitude of the 140 ps pulse required for ionization of the Rb and Li Rydberg population is found to be a factor of two higher than the expected amplitude based on diabatic field ionization and recent theoretical calculations by Reinhold et al (1993 26 L659). Using the longer pulses we studied the transition from the diabatic/adabatic ionization towards ionization in the impulse-kick regime.
Abstract In recent experiments of single-cycle field ionization of excited Na( nd ) atoms with principal quantum number n ∈ [ 6 , 15 ] (Li and Jones 2014 Phys. Rev. Lett. 112 143006 ) it was shown that the maximum field intensity necessary to ionize 10% of the atoms decreases with increasing n according to an n − 3 power law dependence. This scaling property at the same ionization probability was confirmed in classical trajectory Monte Carlo calculations. In this work we note that the scaling relation in the experiment is much more general, it is in fact valid for all ionization probabilities. When applied to the emitted electron energies it places a very wide distribution of electron momenta from different initial states onto a narrow range. These aspects are investigated in a one-dimensional model with a 3D hydrogen-like spectrum. Calculations confirm the general n − 3 scaling relation for the ionization probability and that this particular scaling of the kinetic emission spectrum puts the ejected electron momenta on a narrow common scale. The ionization mechanism itself is identified as quantum mechanical tunneling and the nature of the tunneling process is the direct origin of the scaling law.
We study the ionization of Rydberg atoms by half-cycle electromagnetic pulses as a function of the duration of the pulses covering a broad range of time intervals connecting the adiabatic and sudden regimes. The threshold fields for ionization lie on a universal classical scaling invariant curve. We present quantum mechanical results which agree well with the universal curve. The n -2 threshold field scaling found experimentally is a linear approximation to the universal curve by the tangent in the region where the pulse duration is of the order of the orbital period of the atom. We predict the existence of an ultrashort pulse limit in which the threshold field scales as n -1 . Effects due to the non-hydrogenic core are negligible.
We present measurements of the electron ejection direction in the ionization of high (n=90) Rydberg states of rubidium subjected to few-cycle radio-frequency (RF) pulses. For weak pulses we find a strong asymmetry for even (cosine) pulses and no asymmetry for odd (sine) pulses. This asymmetry disappears for pulses longer than four RF cycles. For strong pulses, very large asymmetry is found for both sine and cosine pulses that persists up to eight RF cycles and is attributed to initial state depletion effects within a cycle.