title: Engineering very-high-n polarized Rydberg states using tailored half-cycle-pulse sequences.
abstract: We show that strongly polarized very-high-n (n approximately 600) potassium Rydberg atoms can be produced by manipulating lower-n (n approximately 350) polarized atoms using a tailored sequence of ultrashort half-cycle pulses (HCPs). The protocol for this involves first a weak HCP that generates transient phase-space localization whereupon a second large HCP of opposite polarity excites the electron to a broad distribution of highly elongated states. This distribution is then refocused by a short periodic train of HCPs using the properties of (un)stable manifolds near fixed points in phase space.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005-1892, USA.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Mestayer
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lancaster
authors.forename: F B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Dunning
authors.forename: C O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Reinhold
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burgdörfer