US-France Cooperative Research: Doubly Excited Rydberg Atoms

该奖项将支持托马斯博士与 加拉格尔，弗吉尼亚大学和皮埃尔加缪博士和皮埃尔 Pillet，Aime Cotton，奥赛，法国. 的目标 该项目是研究高度相关的原子系统， 其中两个原子电子处于相似的轨道。 具有两个高度激发的相关电子的原子呈现以下之一： 当今原子物理学面临的主要挑战。 虽然 已经提出了很多理论，但仍然很少 实验信息指导理论的形成。 研究人员建议研究这样的原子状态实验- 理货。 具体来说，他们建议使用多步激光激发 Ba原子有两个价电子， 双激发态的选择性检测。 这些研究， 使用相当不同的技术，目前正在进行中， laboratories. 通过结合这些方法，探索新的 途径，调查人员希望能够看到双重 从不同的角度激发原子，获得有价值的新 深入了解它们的性质，并指导未来的理论 发展理念 美国和法国集团都拥有大量 研究记录在一般高激发态的研究中， 并开发了许多技术， 节目休息。 此外，两个研究小组还准备 接触到具有相关原子领域专业知识的理论团体 系统.

This award will support collaborative research between Dr. Thomas Gallagher, University of Virginia and Dr. Pierre Camus and Pierre Pillet, Laboratoire Aime Cotton, Orsay, France. The objective of the project is to study highly correlated atomic systems in which two of the atomic electrons are in similar orbit. Atoms with two highly excited, correlated electrons present one of the major challenges to present day atomic physics. Although there have been many theories proposed, there remains very little experimental information to guide the formation of the theories. The investigators propose to study such atomic states experimen- tally. Specifically, they propose to use multistep laser excitation of Ba atoms, which have two valence electrons, coupled with state selective detection of the doubly excited states. Such studies, using rather different techniques, are currently underway in both laboratories. By combining the approaches and exploring new avenues, the investigators expect to be able to view the doubly excited atoms from different perspectives, gaining valuable new insights into their properties and guiding future theoretical developments. Both the US and French groups have substantial research records in the study of highly excited states in general, and have developed many of the techniques upon which the proposed program rests. In addition, both research groups have ready access to theoretical groups with expertise in correlated atomic systems.