Controling Rydberg Systems with Microwaves

这项实验研究计划有两个目标。第一个是进行实验，以了解在里德堡原子中价电子的轨道频率或更高的强微波场对高度激发的里德堡原子的电离，第二，操纵微波场稍弱的里德堡原子。该项目第一部分的目标是将低频电磁场的原子电离与高频电磁场的电离联系起来。在前一种情况下，缓慢变化的电磁场扭曲了原子势，使电子得以逃逸。在后者中，一个光子被吸收。该项目第二部分的目标是操纵电子的轨道频率。这些实验将使用碱原子的原子束进行。使用脉冲染料激光将原子激发到里德堡态，在激光激发后，它们暴露在微波脉冲下。微波脉冲的影响是通过分析终态来确定的，要么是通过束缚原子的态选择场致电离，要么是通过测量电离原子的分数。该计划的更广泛影响涉及教育以及其他领域的应用。

This experimental research program has two goals. The first is to conduct experiments to understand ionization of highly excited, or Rydberg atoms by strong microwave fields at or above the orbital frequency of the valence electron in the Rydberg atom, and, secondly, manipulate the Rydberg atoms with somewhat weaker microwave fields. The objective in the first part of the project is to link ionization of atoms by low frequency electromagnetic fields to ionization by high frequency fields. In the former case the slowly varying electromagnetic field distorts the atomic potential, allowing the electron to escape. In the latter a photon is absorbed. The objective in the second part of the project is to manipulate the orbital frequency of the electron. The experiments will be carried out using atomic beams of alkali atoms. The atoms are excited to Rydberg states using pulsed dye lasers, and after the laser excitation they are exposed to a microwave pulse. The effect of the microwave pulse is determined by analyzing the final states, either by state selective field ionization of bound atoms or measuring the fraction of atoms ionized. The broader impact of the program involves education as well as applications to other fields.