Microwave ionization of an atomic electron wave packet.
A short microwave pulse is used to ionize a lithium Rydberg wave packet launched from the core at a well-defined phase of the field. We observe a strong dependence on the relative phase between the motion of the wave packet and the oscillations of the field. This phase dependent ionization is also studied as a function of the relative frequency. Our experimental observations are in good qualitative agreement with a one-dimensional classical model of wave packet ionization.
Noel
M W
MW
Department of Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22901, USA.
Ko
L
L
Gallagher
T F
TF