Determination of the Rb ng-series quantum defect by electric-field-induced resonant energy transfer between cold Rydberg atoms

摘要

Resonant energy transfer between cold Rydberg atoms was used to determineRydberg atom energy levels, at precisions approaching those obtainable inmicrowave spectroscopy. Laser cooled Rb atoms from a magneto-optical trap wereoptically excited to 32d Rydberg states. The two-atom process 32d(j=5/2) +32d(j=5/2) -> 34p(j=3/2) + 30g is resonant at an electric field ofapproximately 0.3 V/cm. This process is driven by the electric dipole-dipoleinteraction, which is allowed due to the partial f character that the g stateacquires in an electric field. The experimentally observed resonant field,together with the Stark map calculation is used to make a determination of theRb ng-series quantum defect: delta_g (n=30) = 0.00405(6).