Spatially Localized Rydberg Electronic Wave Packets

John A. Yeazell, Mark Mallalieu, Carlos R. Stroud

Supriya Chatterjee, Amitava Choudhuri, Aparna Saha +1 more

R. Parzyński, T. Kopyciuk, Michał Sobczak

B. Wyker, F. B. Dunning, Carlos O Reinhold +2 more

John A. Yeazell, Mark Mallalieu, Carlos R. Stroud

We report an observation of the long-term evolution of a radially localized electronic wave packet formed by the coherent superposition of Rydberg states of atomic potassium. Initially, the wave packet can be described classically. Subsequent dephasing of the discrete states in the superposition leads to a loss of spatial localization so that the evolution can no longer be described classically. However, the wave packet revives at a later time. Theory and experiment show good agreement including an accurate measurement of the phase shift of the wave packet on revival.

John A. Yeazell, Carlos R. Stroud

Quantum mechanical wave packet states can approach the classical ideal of a spatially localized particle traveling along a well defined trajectory. The uncertainty principle places a limitation on this localization. But, for bound systems excited appreciably above their ground states, this is not a very stringent limitation.