Collisions Involving Atoms in High Rydberg States

这个程序是基于使用碱原子的激光激发到特定的高海拔（里德伯）状态，以几类问题：1)里德伯原子碰撞过程的速度依赖的研究；2)极低电子能量下电子-分子相互作用的研究；3)大主量子数（100 ~ 500）下特定态里德伯原子的性质表征；4)研究里德伯原子对存在于固体表面（1Mev）的场扰动的响应。这些研究涉及创新的激光和光学技术，以获得明确定义的里德伯原子种群，并探索了解决这几个问题的创新方法，这些方法可能导致重要的物理理解，否则无法获得。

This program is based on the use of alkali atoms excited by lasers to specific high-lying (Rydberg) states, to several classes of problems: 1) The study of the velocity dependence of Rydberg atom collision processes; 2) the study of electron-molecule interactions at very low electron energies; 3) the characterization of properties of Rydberg atoms in specific states with very large principal quantum numbers (100 n 500); and 4) to study the response of Rydberg atoms to perturbations by the fields existing at a solid surface (1Mev). These investigations involve innovative laser and optical techniques to achieve well defined populations of Rydberg atoms, and it explores innovative approaches to these several problems which may lead to important physical understanding not otherwise available.