Perturbation of degenerate atomic levels by neutral particles

K. T. Hecht

M. F. Sarry

Mikhail Aleksandrovich Braun, A. D. Gurchumeliya

Saikat Banerjee, Hans Ågren, Alexander V. Balatsky

We show the emergence of a new type of dispersion relation for neutral atoms with an interesting similarity to the spectrum of two-dimensional electrons in an applied perpendicular constant magnetic field. These neutral atoms can be confined in toroidal optical traps and give quasi-Landau spectra. In strong contrast to the equidistant infinitely degenerate Landau levels for charged particles, the spectral gap for such two-dimensional neutral particles increases in particular electric-field configurations. The idea in the paper is motivated by the development in cold atom experiments and builds on the seminal paper of Aharonov and Casher [Phys. Rev. Lett. 53, 319 (1984)].

Владимир Сергеевич Лебедев

The results of theoretical investigations of the excitation, quenching, ionization and broadening of the Rydberg atomic levels in inelastic collisions with ground‐state atoms of buffer or parent gases are presented. The different physical mechanisms of these processes due to the scattering of the perturbing neutral particle on the quasifree electron and on the core of the Rydberg atom are considered. In particular the role of the potential and resonance scattering of the slow electron on the perturbing atoms in the quenching and broadening processes is discussed. The effects of the nonadiabatic transfer of the Rydberg electron energy to the kinetic energy of the colliding atoms and to the energy of the electronic shell of the quasimolecular ion are also considered. The results of calculations of the cross sections and the rate constants of the quenching, boradening and ionziation processes for some physcial systems are presented and are compared with available experimental data.

Stig Stenholm