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arXiv:quant-ph/0508082 · Fortschritte der Physik

High resolution Rydberg spectroscopy of ultracold rubidium atoms

A. Grabowski, R. Heidemann, R. Löw, J. Stühler, Tilman Pfau

Published Aug 1, 2006• 19 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Abstract We present experiments on two‐photon excitation of 87Rb atoms to Rydberg states. For this purpose, two continuous‐wave (cw)‐laser systems for both 780 nm and 480 nm have been set up. These systems are optimized to a small linewidth (well below 1 MHz) to get both an efficient excitation process and good spectroscopic resolution. To test the performance of our laser system, we investigated the Stark splitting of Rydberg states. We were able to see for both of the n = 41D finestructure states the electrical field dependent |mj| splitting. To show the ability of spatially selective excitation to Rydberg states, we excited rubidium atoms in an electrical field gradient and investigated both linewidths and lineshifts. Furthermore we were able to excite the atoms selectively from the two hyperfine ground states to Rydberg states. Finally, we investigated the Autler‐Townes splitting of the 5S1/2(F = 2)→5P3/2(F = 3) transition coupled to the light field via a Rydberg state to determine the Rabi frequency of this excitation step.

DOI
10.1002/prop.200610310

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Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Jan 6, 2005•32 citations
Abstract We present experiments on two‐photon excitation of 87Rb atoms to Rydberg states. For this purpose, two continuous‐wave (cw)‐laser systems for both 780 nm and 480 nm have been set up. These systems are optimized to a small linewidth (well below 1 MHz) to get both an efficient excitation process and good spectroscopic resolution. To test the performance of our laser system, we investigated the Stark splitting of Rydberg states. We were able to see for both of the n = 41D finestructure states the electrical field dependent |mj| splitting. To show the ability of spatially selective excitation to Rydberg states, we excited rubidium atoms in an electrical field gradient and investigated both linewidths and lineshifts. Furthermore we were able to excite the atoms selectively from the two hyperfine ground states to Rydberg states. Finally, we investigated the Autler‐Townes splitting of the 5S1/2(F = 2)→5P3/2(F = 3) transition coupled to the light field via a Rydberg state to determine the Rabi frequency of this excitation step.
We present our experimental results of two-photon laser excitation 5S1/2→5P3/2→nS1/2 of Rb atoms to Rydberg nS1/2 states with a homemade 480 nm laser in the second excitation step. In an experiment with cold Rb atoms, we excited the 42S1/2 state and detected Rydberg atoms with a selective-field-ionization (SFI) detector that provides single-atom resolution. The resonance line shapes well agreed with numerical simulations in a three-level theoretical model. We also studied the multiatom spectra of Rydberg excitation of mesoscopic atom ensembles which are of interest to quantum information processing. In the experiment with hot Rb atoms, we first excited the 30S1/2 state and observed a narrow Rydberg EIT resonance. Its line shape also agreed well with theory. Then, we performed a similar experiment with the higher 41S1/2 state and observed the Autler–Townes splitting of the EIT resonance in the presence of a microwave field, which was in resonance with the microwave transition 41S→41P3/2. This allowed us to measure the average strength of the microwave field and, thus, demonstrate the operation of a Rydberg microwave sensor. We may conclude that the developed homemade laser at 480 nm substantially extends our capabilities for further experiments on quantum information and quantum sensing with Rydberg atoms.
We demonstrate the single-photon excitation spectra of cesium Rydberg atoms by means of a Doppler-free purely all-optical detection with a room-temperature vapor cell and a 319 nm ultra-violet (UV) laser. We excite atoms directly from 6S1/2 ground state to 71P3/2 Rydberg state with a narrow-linewidth 319 nm UV laser. The detection of Rydberg states is performed by monitoring the absorption of an 852 nm probe beam in a V-type three-level system. With a strong coupling light, we observe the Autler-Townes (AT) doublet, and the dependences of the separation and linewidths on the coupling intensity are experimentally investigated, which is consistent with the prediction based on the dressed state theory. Moreover, the AT splitting can be used to measure the Rabi frequency. In an external magnetic field, the Rydberg spectra of nondegenerate Zeeman sublevels are demonstrated. The splitting of the spectrum is of great significance for studying the characteristics of Rydberg atoms.
This paper summarizes a long series of experiments that have been done on Rydberg states of Rb. The basic experimental technique that has been used is atomic-beam laser spectroscopy which allows both low-resolution and high-resolution studies. Excitation of Rydberg states is provided by single-photon absorption from a suitably frequency-doubled rhodamine 6G6G6G tunable laser. Detection is done by field ionization and ion counting. These techniques have allowed us to study the critical ionizing field, which has been found to follow classical, hydrogenic behavior closely. Rydberg states of Rb have been observed from n=28n=28n=28 up to n>100n>100n>100. High-resolution spectroscopic studies have led to measurement of the fine structure for np\mathrm{np}np levels located between n=28n=28n=28 and n=60n=60n=60, as well as the isotope shift of the ground state, $\ensuremath{\delta}\ensuremath{\nu}=(172\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}15)$ MHz. Anomalies in the intensity ratio of the doublet $5s\ensuremath{-}np$ transitions have been observed and interpreted as relativistic effects. Perturbations by weak and strong dc electric field are reported. In the case of weak electric fields it is possible to evaluate the polarizability. In the case of strong dc electric fields, new phenomena have been observed and analyzed. We also find experimental evidence of selective photoionization in the presence of an appropriate dc electric field, which could have some applications in laser isotope separation. Finally, we give the preliminary results of an experiment on the effect of a strong nonresonant electromagnetic field on high-lying Rydberg states.
The interaction of light with atoms and molecules is of fundamental interest in many branches of science. In atomic physics, this interaction can be used to cool and spatially confine (trap) atoms. These traps can be used as the starting point for other experiments, but the dynamics of the cooling and trapping processes is itself of interest. In order to better understand the physics of trapping atoms in an optical dipole force trap, we have conducted a series of spectroscopic measurements of ultracold rubidium atoms in such a trap. The trap was created at the focus of a Nd:YAG laser beam with wavelength 1064nm and nearly Gaussian spatial mode. For rubidium, the trap light is red-detuned and the atoms are confined to the highest intensity in the beam. In order to probe the atoms confined in the trap, we have performed spectroscopy on the 5S1/2 → 5P3/2 transition. Because the polarizability of the ground and excited states is not the same at the trap wavelength, the spectra exhibit both a shift and inhomogeneous broadening. We have investigated the spectra for both linear and circular polarized traps. We also studied the application of a second laser to couple the excited state (5P3/2) to another higher excited state (5D5/2) to reduce the inhomogeneous broadening of the 5S1/2 → 5P 3/2 transition. Finally, two-photon spectroscopy was performed on atoms in the dipole force trap and compared to spectra taken in a magneto optical trap (MOT). Autler-Townes splitting was clearly observed in the MOT and appears to have been observed in the dipole force trap also.
A system of three external cavity diode lasers is used to excite Rydberg states in rubidium. The 5S→5P→5D transitions are driven using lasers with λ = 780 and 776 nm respectively. From the 5D state, atoms fluoresce down to the 6P state. The final transition to Rydberg levels is from the 6P state with laser light near λ = 1016 nm. The nS and nD Rydberg states are accessible directly and with the application of a modest electric field nP states can also be excited. As a test of this system, Stark spectra are collected for nD and nP states.
We report on experiments on Rydberg–Rydberg interaction-induced effects in a gas of 87 Rb Rydberg atoms. A compact setup for two-photon continuous-wave excitation of high-lying Rydberg states out of an ultracold atomic gas is presented. The performance of the apparatus is characterized by high-resolution spectroscopy of Rydberg states. Signatures of interaction-induced effects are identified by qualitatively analysing the dependence of Rydberg excitation spectra on the intensity and the duration of the second-step laser excitation.