Collisions Involving Atoms in High Rydberg States (Physics)

原子物理学的一个基本问题是理解 通过孤立原子碰撞的相互作用。 一个新 在研究这种碰撞的维度是形成一个 处于高激发（“里德伯”）态的相互作用的原子对 通过选择性地激发它就在碰撞之前， 精心调谐的激光器 这些里德伯原子具有 一个电子几乎完全与母体分离 原子，并且几乎作为自由电子起作用。因此，它可以用于 探测电子与分子和表面的相互作用。 这些工作将在本赠款中进行。 的 这些原子本身的性质也将在 电磁场 这项工作的结果将有助于我们 理解和控制原子的性质。

A basic problem in atomic physics is the understanding of the interaction via collisions of isolated atoms. A new dimension in the study of such collisions is forming one of the interacting pair of atoms in a highly excited ("Rydberg") state by selectively exciting it just prior to the collision with a carefully-tuned laser. These Rydberg atoms have the property that one electron is almost completely decoupled from the parent atom, and acts almost as a free electron. It can thus be used to probe the interaction of electrons with molecules and surfaces. Such work will be carried out in the present grant. The properties of these atoms themselves will also be studied in electromagnetic fields. The results of this work will aid in our understanding and control of atomic properties.