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Full-Text Articles in Physics
The Role Of Continuum States In The Field Ionization Of Rydberg Atoms, Michael P. Vennettilli
The Role Of Continuum States In The Field Ionization Of Rydberg Atoms, Michael P. Vennettilli
Physics and Astronomy Honors Papers
In an experiment performed by our collaborators at Bryn Mawr, we excite rubidium-85 to a coherent superposition of the different |mj| splittings of the 37d5/2 state induced by a small electric field. After waiting for some variable delay time, we apply a time-dependent electric field to ionize the atom and record the ionized current that arrives at the detector. Due to the initial superposition, we observe an interference pattern that depends on the delay time. This thesis describes my continued work with Dr. Carroll to develop a computational model of this experiment. Our initial method …
Quantum Interference In The Field Ionization Of Rydberg Atoms, Rachel Feynman, Jacob A. Hollingsworth, Michael Vennettilli, Tamas Budner, Ryan Zmiewski, Donald P. Fahey, Thomas J. Carroll, Michael W. Noel
Quantum Interference In The Field Ionization Of Rydberg Atoms, Rachel Feynman, Jacob A. Hollingsworth, Michael Vennettilli, Tamas Budner, Ryan Zmiewski, Donald P. Fahey, Thomas J. Carroll, Michael W. Noel
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
We excite ultracold rubidium atoms in a magneto-optical trap to a coherent superposition of the three |mj | sublevels of the 37d5/2 Rydberg state. After some delay, during which the relative phases of the superposition components can evolve, we apply an electric field pulse to ionize the Rydberg electron and send it to a detector. The electron traverses many avoided crossings in the Stark levels as it ionizes. The net effect of the transitions at these crossings is to mix the amplitudes of the initial superposition into the same final states at ionization. Similar to a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, the three …
Imaging The Dipole-Dipole Energy Exchange Between Ultracold Rubidium Rydberg Atoms, Donald P. Fahey, Thomas J. Carroll, Michael W. Noel
Imaging The Dipole-Dipole Energy Exchange Between Ultracold Rubidium Rydberg Atoms, Donald P. Fahey, Thomas J. Carroll, Michael W. Noel
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications
The long-range, anisotropic nature of the interaction among atoms in an ultracold dipolar gas leads to a rich array of possibilities for studying many-body physics. In this work, an ultracold gas of highly excited atoms is used to study energy transport due to the long-range dipole-dipole interaction. A technique is developed to measure both the internal energy states of the interacting Rydberg atoms and their positions in space. This technique is demonstrated by observing energy exchange between two spatially separated groups of Rydberg atoms excited to two different internal states. Simulations confirm the general features of the energy transport in …