Millimeter-wave spectroscopy of cold Rb Rydberg atoms in a magneto-optical trap: Quantum defects of the ns, np, and nd series

Wenhui Li, I. Mourachko, M. W. Noel, and T. F. Gallagher
Phys. Rev. A 67, 052502 – Published 13 May 2003
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Abstract

By using a magneto-optical trap we have measured the Rb ns(n+1)s and ndj(n+1)dj two-photon millimeter-wave transitions for 32<~n<~37, observing 100-kHz-wide resonances, in spite of the trap’s 10 G/cm magnetic-field gradient, in which one might expect to observe resonances 5 MHz wide. This resolution is possible because of the similarity of the gj factors in the initial and final states. Under the same conditions, the single-photon ns-np resonances are ∼5 MHz wide. To make useful measurements of these intervals, we turned off the trap field and used the 300-K atoms of the background Rb vapor. Together these measurements improve the accuracy of the s, p, and d quantum defects by an order of magnitude.

  • Received 21 June 2002

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.67.052502

©2003 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Wenhui Li1, I. Mourachko1, M. W. Noel2, and T. F. Gallagher1

  • 1Department of Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904
  • 2Department of Physics, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 19010

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Vol. 67, Iss. 5 — May 2003

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