arXiv:physics/0403051 · Physical Review A
Proposed interpretation of microwave ionization of Rydberg alkali-metal atoms
Luca Perotti
Abstract
I show that the theory developed for quantum delocalization of an excited hydrogen atom in a two-frequency linearly polarized microwave field can be used with a few adaptions to explain the quantum delocalization of alkali-metal atoms in a linearly polarized monochromatic field in the regime where it deviates from hydrogenic behavior. Comparison with numerical and laboratory experiments is satisfactory: apart from a constant factor, independent from the microwave frequency, the same dependence from the initial quantum number is observed.