More Like this

1. High-angular-momentum Rydberg states in a room-temperature vapor cell for dc electric-field sensing

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.023138  

   Duspayev, Alisher; Cardman, Ryan; Anderson, David A; Raithel, Georg (May 2024, Physical Review Research)

   We prepare and analyze Rydberg states with orbital quantum numbers $\ell \le 6$using three-optical-photon electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and radio frequency (rf) dressing, and employ the high- $\ell$states in electric-field sensing. Rubidium-85 atoms in a room-temperature vapor cell are first promoted into the $25F_{5/2}$state via Rydberg-EIT with three infrared laser beams. Two rf dressing fields then (near-)resonantly couple the $25F, 25H(\ell =5)$, and $25I(\ell =6)$Rydberg states. The dependence of the rf-dressed Rydberg-state level structure on rf powers, rf and laser frequencies is characterized using EIT. Furthermore, we discuss the principles of dc-electric-field sensing using high- $\ell$Rydberg states and experimentally demonstrate the method using test electric fields of $\lesssim 50$V/m induced via photo-illumination of the vapor-cell wall. We measure the highly nonlinear dependence of the dc-electric-field strength on the power of the photo-illumination laser. Numerical calculations, which reproduce our experimental observations well, elucidate the underlying physics. Our paper is relevant to high-precision spectroscopy of high- $\ell$Rydberg states, Rydberg-atom-based electric-field sensing, and plasma electric-field diagnostics. Published by the American Physical Society2024 

   more » « less
2. Measurement of the hyperfine coupling constants and absolute energies of the $12s {}^2{S}_{1/2}, 13s {}^2{S}_{1/2}$ , and $11d {}^2{D}_J$ levels in atomic cesium

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.105.022819  

   Quirk, Jonah A; Damitz, Amy; Tanner, Carol E; Elliott, D S (February 2022, Physical Review A)

   We report measurements of the absolute energies of the hyperfine components of the $$12s \ ^2S_{1/2}$$ and $$13s \ ^2S_{1/2}$$ levels of atomic cesium, $$^{133}$$Cs. Using the frequency difference between these components, we determine the hyperfine coupling constants for these states, and report these values with a relative uncertainty of $$\sim$$0.06\%. We also examine the hyperfine structure of the $$11d \ ^2D_{J}$$ ($J=3/2, 5/2$) states, and resolve the sign ambiguity of the hyperfine coupling constants from previous measurements of these states. We also derive new, high precision values for the state energies of the $$12s \ ^2S_{1/2}$$, $$13s \ ^2S_{1/2}$$ and $$11d \ ^2D_{J}$$ states of cesium. 

   more » « less
3. Coincidence ion pair production (cipp) spectroscopy of diiodine

   https://doi.org/10.1039/d2cp01684b  

   Matthíasson, Kristján; Kvaran, Ágúst; Garcia, Gustavo A.; Weidner, Peter; Sztáray, Bálint (July 2022, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics)

   Coincidence ion pair production (I + + I − ) (cipp) spectra of I 2 were recorded in a double imaging coincidence experiment in the one-photon excitation region of 71 600–74 000 cm −1 . The I + + I − coincidence signal shows vibrational band head structure corresponding to iodine molecule Rydberg states crossing over to ion-pair (I + I − ) potential curves above the dissociation limit. The band origin ( ν 0 ), vibrational wavenumber ( ω e ) and anharmonicity constants ( ω e x e ) were determined for the identified Rydberg states. The analysis revealed a number of previously unidentified states and a reassignment of others following a discrepancy in previous assignments. Since the ion pair production threshold is well established, the electric field-dependent spectral intensities were used to derive the cutoff energy in the transitions to the rotational levels of the 7pσ(1/2) ( v ′ = 3) state. 

   more » « less
4. Two-photon Rydberg EIT resonances in non-collinear beam configurations

   https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAB.550937  

   Su, Kevin; Behary, Rob; Aubin, Seth; Mikhailov, Eugeniy E; Novikova, Irina (January 2025, Journal of the Optical Society of America B)

   We study the modifications of Rydberg EIT resonances in non-collinear geometry in which the two required optical fields cross at a small non-zero angle. We observe a strong broadening and amplitude reduction even for small angles when compared to exact counter-propagating and co-propagating collinear geometries. We confirm that such EIT peak deterioration results from the additional Doppler broadening due to the transverse velocity distribution of atoms. The numerical simulation closely matches the experimental measurements. While a non-collinear geometry provides improved spatial resolution for Rydberg EIT electrometry, we conclude that the crossing angle must be small to maintain field sensitivity. 

   more » « less
5. Doppler narrowing, Zeeman and laser beam-shape effects in Λ-type electromagnetically induced transparency on the ⁸⁵ Rb D2 line in a vapor cell

   https://doi.org/10.1088/2399-6528/abb57c  

   Ma, L; Raithel, G (September 2020, Journal of Physics Communications)

   Abstract We study Λ-type Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT) on the Rb D2 transition in a buffer-gas-free thermal vapor cell without anti-relaxation coating. Experimental data show well-resolved features due to velocity-selective optical pumping and one EIT resonance. The Zeeman splitting of the EIT line in magnetic fields up to 12 Gauss is investigated. One Zeeman component is free of the first-order shift and its second-order shift agrees well with theory. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of this magnetic-field-insensitive EIT resonance is reduced due to Doppler narrowing, scales linearly in Rabi frequency over the range studied, and reaches about 100 kHz at the lowest powers. These observations agree with an analytic model for a Doppler-broadened medium developed in (Javan et al 2002 Phys. Rev. A 66 013805; Lee et al 2003 Appl. Phys. B, Lasers Opt. (Germany) B 76 , 33–9; Taichenachev et al 2000 JETP Lett. 72 , 119). Numerical simulation using the Lindblad equation reveals that the transverse laser intensity distribution and two Λ-EIT systems must be included to fully account for the measured line width and line shape of the signals. Ground-state decoherence, caused by effects that include residual optical frequency fluctuations, atom-wall and trace-gas collisions, is discussed. 

   more » « less