title: One-dimensional Rydberg gas in a magnetoelectric trap.
abstract: We study the quantum properties of Rydberg atoms in a magnetic Ioffe-Pritchard trap which is superimposed by a homogeneous electric field. Trapped Rydberg atoms can be created in long-lived electronic states exhibiting a permanent electric dipole moment of several hundred Debye. The resulting dipole-dipole interaction in conjunction with the radial confinement is demonstrated to give rise to an effectively one-dimensional ultracold Rydberg gas with a macroscopic interparticle distance. We derive analytical expressions for the electric dipole moment and the required linear density of Rydberg atoms.
authors.affiliation: Theoretische Chemie, Physikalisch-Chemisches Institut, Universität Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 229, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mayle
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hezel
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lesanovsky
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schmelcher