Dresden 2011 – scientific programme
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A: Fachverband Atomphysik
A 26: Poster III
A 26.39: Poster
Thursday, March 17, 2011, 16:00–18:30, P2
Acceleration of Rydberg atoms in strong laser fields — Thomas Nubbemeyer, •Henri Zimmermann, Sebastian Eilzer, Ulli Eichmann, and Wolfgang Sandner — Max Born Institut, Max Born Str. 2a , 12489 Berlin
Excitation of atoms in strong linearly polarized laser fields in the tunneling regime can be explained within the rescattering model if one includes the Coulomb potential1. Furthermore, an unexpectedly strong kinematic force on the surviving neutral atoms during the short laser puls with intensities up to 1016Wcm2 has been observed and identified as a ponderomotive force acting on the atoms2. Here we report on the acceleration of Rydberg atoms in a strong laser fields. In the experiments we excite a Rydberg wave packet with a linearly polarized strong laser field. After a variable time delay covering a range of a few hundred fs before and after the first pulse we apply a second circularly polarized laser pulse to accelerate atoms in excited states. The circularly polarized light alone is not able to excite Rydberg states. We present the results on the deflection of Rydberg atoms, the efficiency of the process including the survival rates of the Rydberg states and on possible wavepacket dynamics associated with the pump probe technique.
1 Nubbemeyer et al., PRL 101, 233001 (2008).
2 Eichmann et al., Nature 461, 1261 (2009)