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Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference

Penning ionization of alkali metal atoms by barium atoms in Rydberg states

Charles E. Burkhardt, M. Ciocca, W. P. Garver, Xuan Liu, Jian Xu, Jacob J. Leventhal, J. D. Kelley

Published Apr 24, 1989• 0 citations
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Abstract

We report results of experiments designed to study Penning ionization in collisions involving Rydberg atoms. In Penning ionization, internal energy in an excited atom is collisionally transferred to a second atom, which is ionized. The Penning process is

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Studies of strongly interacting Rydberg systems

Robert Gavin Fields

Rydberg atoms are increasingly being used as a means of introducing long-range, tunable interactions into atomic systems through their strong dipole-dipole interactions. When creating such interactions, however, there are a variety of potential effects that can occur, such as state (n and/or L) changing or Penning ionization, which can complicate the dynamics of the system. In the following work, such interactions are investigated for Rydberg-Rydberg collisions using very high-n, n ~300, strontium Rydberg atoms in an atomic beam configuration. By exploiting Rydberg blockade and the inherent distribution of atomic velocities present in an atomic beam, it is possible to create a 1D array of moving Rydberg atoms which will naturally overtake each other over time. Measurements of both Penning ionization and state changing for such collisions are made and compared with classical trajectory Monte-Carlo (CTMC) simulations, with both indicating large collisional cross sections on the order of 1 x 10-6 cm2 for Penning ionization and nearly 8 x 10-5 cm2 for state changing interactions. In a second series of experiments, previous work involving doubly-excited Rydberg states is expanded upon by investigating autoionization with high-n, L > 3, Rydberg states. Past research involving autoionization has shown that the effect is strongly L-dependent, with high-L states having significantly smaller autoionizing rates. To create well-defined, L > 3 states, the use of microwave fields to drive various high-n, n ~ 150, n1F3 → (n+1)1G4, (n+2)1H5 transitions is investigated, with spectroscopic measurements of these transitions providing quantum defect values for n1G4 and n1H5 states. These measurements provide a basis for future studies into the L-dependence of high-n, n ~ 300, autoionizing Rydberg atoms, with the eventual goal of creating a long-lived, doubly-excited “planetary” Rydberg state.

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Cross sections of Penning ionization for Rydberg atoms

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Abstract Features of Penning ionization in cold gaseous media of Rydberg alkali-metal atoms have been investigated. In contrast to the hydrogen atom, the corresponding autoionization widths exhibit a strong (by orders of magnitude) dependence on the orbital quantum numbers of the atoms involved in the long-range dipole–dipole interaction. An important feature of Penning ionization is the nontrivial dependence of its efficiency on the Rydberg particle size. For all types of alkali-metal atoms, the optimal highly nonsymmetric configurations of Rydberg pairs have been found that lead to the explosive (by several orders of magnitude) intensification of the free electron formation by means of the Penning ionization processes. This property makes Penning ionization an important means of forming primary charged particles during the cold Rydberg plasma formation. The numerical data for pairs of potassium atoms are reported that demonstrate a significant effect of the Förster resonance on the values of the Penning ionization rate constants.

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Collisional and thermal ionization of sodium Rydberg atoms: I. Experiment fornS andnD atoms withn= 8–20

I. I. Ryabtsev, Denis B. Tretyakov, Ilya I. Beterov +3 more

Collisional and thermal ionization of sodium n S and n D Rydberg atoms with n = 8–20 has been studied. The experiments were performed using a two-step pulsed laser excitation in an effusive atomic beam at atom density of about 2 × 10 10 cm −3 . Molecular and atomic ions from associative, Penning and thermal ionization processes were detected. It was found that the atomic ions were created mainly due to photoionization of Rydberg atoms by photons of blackbody radiation at the ambient temperature of 300 K. Blackbody ionization rates and effective lifetimes of Rydberg states of interest were determined. The molecular ions were found to be from associative ionization in Na( nL ) + Na(3S) collisions. Rate constants of associative ionization have been measured using an original method based on relative measurements of Na + 2 and Na + ion signals.

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Collisions of Highly Excited Atoms: Experiment and Theory

F. Gounand

We discuss some recent theoretical as well as experimental advances in collisions involving Rydberg atoms. We recall some basic properties of Rydberg atoms before showing that in most cases a simplified theoretical treatment of Rydberg collisions is possible. On the experimental side, special attention is paid to the opportunity offered by Rydberg states for the study of quasi-resonant processes.

Physica Scripta•Jan 1, 1988•0 citations
Rydberg atoms are increasingly being used as a means of introducing long-range, tunable interactions into atomic systems through their strong dipole-dipole interactions. When creating such interactions, however, there are a variety of potential effects that can occur, such as state (n and/or L) changing or Penning ionization, which can complicate the dynamics of the system. In the following work, such interactions are investigated for Rydberg-Rydberg collisions using very high-n, n ~300, strontium Rydberg atoms in an atomic beam configuration. By exploiting Rydberg blockade and the inherent distribution of atomic velocities present in an atomic beam, it is possible to create a 1D array of moving Rydberg atoms which will naturally overtake each other over time. Measurements of both Penning ionization and state changing for such collisions are made and compared with classical trajectory Monte-Carlo (CTMC) simulations, with both indicating large collisional cross sections on the order of 1 x 10-6 cm2 for Penning ionization and nearly 8 x 10-5 cm2 for state changing interactions. In a second series of experiments, previous work involving doubly-excited Rydberg states is expanded upon by investigating autoionization with high-n, L > 3, Rydberg states. Past research involving autoionization has shown that the effect is strongly L-dependent, with high-L states having significantly smaller autoionizing rates. To create well-defined, L > 3 states, the use of microwave fields to drive various high-n, n ~ 150, n1F3 → (n+1)1G4, (n+2)1H5 transitions is investigated, with spectroscopic measurements of these transitions providing quantum defect values for n1G4 and n1H5 states. These measurements provide a basis for future studies into the L-dependence of high-n, n ~ 300, autoionizing Rydberg atoms, with the eventual goal of creating a long-lived, doubly-excited “planetary” Rydberg state.
Abstract Features of Penning ionization in cold gaseous media of Rydberg alkali-metal atoms have been investigated. In contrast to the hydrogen atom, the corresponding autoionization widths exhibit a strong (by orders of magnitude) dependence on the orbital quantum numbers of the atoms involved in the long-range dipole–dipole interaction. An important feature of Penning ionization is the nontrivial dependence of its efficiency on the Rydberg particle size. For all types of alkali-metal atoms, the optimal highly nonsymmetric configurations of Rydberg pairs have been found that lead to the explosive (by several orders of magnitude) intensification of the free electron formation by means of the Penning ionization processes. This property makes Penning ionization an important means of forming primary charged particles during the cold Rydberg plasma formation. The numerical data for pairs of potassium atoms are reported that demonstrate a significant effect of the Förster resonance on the values of the Penning ionization rate constants.
Collisional and thermal ionization of sodium n S and n D Rydberg atoms with n = 8–20 has been studied. The experiments were performed using a two-step pulsed laser excitation in an effusive atomic beam at atom density of about 2 × 10 10 cm −3 . Molecular and atomic ions from associative, Penning and thermal ionization processes were detected. It was found that the atomic ions were created mainly due to photoionization of Rydberg atoms by photons of blackbody radiation at the ambient temperature of 300 K. Blackbody ionization rates and effective lifetimes of Rydberg states of interest were determined. The molecular ions were found to be from associative ionization in Na( nL ) + Na(3S) collisions. Rate constants of associative ionization have been measured using an original method based on relative measurements of Na + 2 and Na + ion signals.