Stuttgart 2012 – scientific programme

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A: Fachverband Atomphysik

A 41: Poster: Ultra-cold plasmas and Rydberg systems

A 41.1: Poster

Thursday, March 15, 2012, 16:30–19:00, Poster.V

A Ramsey interferometer to study Förster induced Rydberg interactions — •Jonathan Balewski, Johannes Nipper, Alexander Krupp, Robert Löw, and Tilman Pfau — 5. Physikalisches Institut, Universität Stuttgart

Interacting Rydberg systems show promising prospects in different fields ranging from quantum computing to the simulation of quantum systems. An important ingredient hereof is a strong controllable interaction as it is provided by Stark tuned Förster resonances. Such resonances occur in Rydberg systems by the coupling of degenerate dipole transitions between different atomic states. This leads to an energy transfer between the atoms and to a strong interaction with distinct angular dependence. The sign and strength of this interaction can be controlled by changing the pair state energy levels by applying external electric fields.

We use an interferometric technique based on an optical Ramsey sequence to study such resonances in the 44d_5/2 Rydberg state of ultracold ⁸⁷Rb atoms. With this phase sensitive method we show that we can switch and tune the interatomic interaction. Extending the scheme using different electric pulse sequences we can additionally probe the coherent coupling of the involved pair states. The coherent nature of the Förster induced interaction is crucial for many of its applications.

Furthermore the system presented here could in principle be used to model Förster induced energy transfer processes which play an important role in biophysics.