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arXiv · 1412.3043

Single-color two-photon spectroscopy of Rydberg states in electric fields

T. E. Wall·D. B. Cassidy·S. D. Hogan
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Abstract

Rydberg states of atomic helium with principal quantum numbers ranging from n=20 to n=100 have been prepared by non-resonance-enhanced single-color two-photon excitation from the metastable 2 {^3}S{_1} state. Photoexcitation was carried out using linearly and circularly polarized pulsed laser radiation. In the case of excitation with circularly polarized radiation, Rydberg states with azimuthal quantum number |m_{\ell}|=2 were prepared in zero electric field, and in homogeneous electric fields oriented parallel to the propagation axis of the laser radiation. In sufficiently strong electric fields, individual Rydberg-Stark states were resolved spectroscopically, highlighting the suitability of non-resonance-enhanced multiphoton excitation schemes for the preparation of long-lived high-|m_{\ell}| hydrogenic Rydberg states for deceleration and trapping experiments. Applications of similar schemes for Doppler-free excitation of positronium atoms to Rydberg states are also discussed.

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T. E. Wall, D. B. Cassidy, S. D. Hogan. 2014-12-09. Single-color two-photon spectroscopy of Rydberg states in electric fields. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.90.053430

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