Electric field effects in the excitation of cold Rydberg-atom pairs.
In this work, we study the role of the ac Stark effects on the excitation of nS1/2 cold Rydberg atoms produced in a rubidium magneto-optical trap. We have observed an atomic population in the nP3/2 state after excitation of nS1/2 for 29<or=n<or=37. Such an observation is normally attributed to binary collisions; however, the interaction between Rb nS1/2 atoms is repulsive. To explain our results, the dipole-dipole interaction and ac Stark shifts from the excitation laser must be considered. We find that the Rydberg-atom-pair state asymptotically correlating to nP3/2+(n-1)P3/2 is excited directly.
Nascimento
V A
VA
Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, Caixa Postal 369, 13560-970, São Carlos-SP, Brazil.
Caliri
L L
LL
Schwettmann
A
A
Shaffer
J P
JP
Marcassa
L G
LG