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Journal of the Physical Society of Japan

Ionization Spectroscopic Measurement ofnP Rydberg Levels of87Rb Cold Atoms

Yufan Li, Syed Zaheer Ud Din, Dongmei Zhao, X. Ma, Jie Yang

Published Apr 3, 2018• 15 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We created an ultracold plasma via the spontaneous ionization of cold dense Rydberg atoms of 87Rb in a magneto-optical trap (MOT), and measured the nS1/2 (n = 50–80), nP1/2 (n = 16–23), nP3/2 (n = 16–98), and nD5/2 (n = 49–96) Rydberg levels by detecting the electrons in the ultracold plasma. By fitting the energy levels of Rydberg states, the first ionization potential of 33690.950(11) cm−1 and the quantum defects of S, P, and D orbitals were obtained. The absolute transition energies of nS1/2 (n = 66–80), nP1/2 (n = 16–23), nP3/2 (n = 16–98), and nD5/2 (n = 58–96) states of 87Rb, as well as the quantum defects for p1/2 and p3/2 series, are given for the first time.

DOI
10.7566/jpsj.87.054301

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We created an ultracold plasma via the spontaneous ionization of cold dense Rydberg atoms of 87Rb in a magneto-optical trap (MOT), and measured the nS1/2 (n = 50–80), nP1/2 (n = 16–23), nP3/2 (n = 16–98), and nD5/2 (n = 49–96) Rydberg levels by detecting the electrons in the ultracold plasma. By fitting the energy levels of Rydberg states, the first ionization potential of 33690.950(11) cm−1 and the quantum defects of S, P, and D orbitals were obtained. The absolute transition energies of nS1/2 (n = 66–80), nP1/2 (n = 16–23), nP3/2 (n = 16–98), and nD5/2 (n = 58–96) states of 87Rb, as well as the quantum defects for p1/2 and p3/2 series, are given for the first time.
Summary form only given. We report on recent experimental and theoretical investigations of highly excited atoms prepared from a dense atomic sample in a magneto-optical trap (MOT). The goals of the work are two-fold. First, by exciting atoms above the ionization potential (IP) we can study the properties of an ultracold plasma of electrons (T<1 K) and ions (T<1 mK). Second, tuning the excitation below the IP, we can populate high-lying Rydberg states whose atomic radii are comparable to the interparticle spacing, possibly spawning new collective phenomena. In our initial experiments we study Rydberg states. We collect 10/sup 7/ /sup 85/Rb atoms in the MOT at a density of 10/sup 10//cm/sup 3/. Atoms in the 5s ground state are excited into Rydberg states using single photon excitation.
We have observed the spontaneous evolution of a dense sample of Rydberg atoms into an ultracold plasma, in spite of the fact that each of the atoms may initially be bound by up to 100 cm(-1). When the atoms are initially bound by 70 cm(-1), this evolution occurs when most of the atoms are translationally cold, <1 mK, but a small fraction, approximately 1%, is at room temperature. Ionizing collisions between hot and cold Rydberg atoms and blackbody photoionization produce an essentially stationary cloud of cold ions, which traps electrons produced later. The trapped electrons rapidly collisionally ionize the remaining cold Rydberg atoms to form a cold plasma.
Results from measurement of the energy levels of ultra-cold Rydberg states of 39 K in an AC-Magneto-Optical Trap are presented. Rydberg atoms are produced by stepwise excitation from the laser-excited 4 2 P 1 / 2 states using a tunable blue dye laser. Energy level data for principal quantum numbers n = 18 up to n = 199 are reported. For n = 18 to n = 46 , the measured levels are in good agreement with the available data from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) list of atomic spectral lines. New values for the parameters in the Rydberg-Ritz formula were then calculated from a fit to the measured energy level data. Atomic transition energies for n = 47 to n = 199 are also reported for the first time. Shifts in the levels for excitation to both the 2 S 1 / 2 and 2 D 3 / 2 states at principal quantum number n > 100 are found when compared to calculations derived from the revised Rydberg-Ritz formula. These deviations are due to the greater probability of overlap between the wavefunctions of the excited atoms in the ensemble, resulting in strong interaction between the Rydberg atoms which are in close proximity. For n > 167, the D-state energies were unresolved.