Erlangen 2018 – scientific programme
Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Updates | Downloads | Help
A: Fachverband Atomphysik
A 33: Poster Session II
A 33.2: Poster
Wednesday, March 7, 2018, 16:15–18:15, Redoutensaal
Observation of the motional Stark effect in low magnetic fields — •Manuel Kaiser1, Jens Grimmel1, Lara Torralbo-Campo1, Florian Karlewski1, Nils Schopohl2, and József Fortágh1 — 1Center for Quantum Science, Physikalisches Institut, Universität Tübingen, Germany — 2Center for Quantum Science, Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Tübingen, Germany
The motional Stark effect (MSE) originates from a Lorentz force acting in opposite directions on the ionic core and the electrons of an atom moving in a magnetic field. This introduces a coupling between the internal dynamics and the center-of-mass motion of the atom which is therefore no longer a constant of motion. Approximately the MSE can be seen as a Stark effect resulting from an electric field in the frame of a moving atom. We measured this motional Stark shift on 87Rb Rydberg atoms moving in low magnetic fields employing a velocity selective spectroscopy method in a vapor cell. For an atom velocity of 400 m/s, a principal quantum number of n = 100, and a magnetic field of 100 G the shifts are on the order of 10 MHz. Our experimental results are supported by numerical calculations based on a diagonalization of the effective Hamiltonian governing the valence electron of 87Rb in the presence of crossed electric and magnetic fields. Furthermore we present our investigations on the velocity associated with the pseudomomentum as a constant of motion, that is supported by our experimental findings.