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arXiv · 1805.02712

Laser and microwave spectroscopy of even-parity Rydberg states of neutral ytterbium and Multichannel Quantum Defect Theory analysis

H. Lehec·A. Zuliani·W. Maineult·E. Luc-Koenig·P. Pillet·P. Cheinet·F. Niyaz·T. F. Gallagher
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Abstract

New measurements of high-lying even parity $6sns\, {}^1 \! S_0$ and $6snd\,{}^{3,1}\!D_2$ levels of neutral $^{174}$Yb are presented in this paper. Spectroscopy is performed by a two-step laser excitation from the ground state $4f^{14}6s^2 \, {}^1 \! S_0$, and the Rydberg levels are detected by using the field ionization method. Additional two-photon microwave spectroscopy is used to improve the relative energy accuracy where possible. The spectroscopic measurements are complemented by a multichannel quantum defect theory (MQDT) analysis for the J=0 and the two-coupled J=2 even parity series. We compare our results with the previous analysis of Aymar {\it{et al}} \cite{Aymar_1980} and analyze the observed differences. From the new MQDT models, a revised value for the first ionization limit $I_{6s}=50443.07041(25)$ cm$^{-1}$ is proposed.

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H. Lehec, A. Zuliani, W. Maineult, E. Luc-Koenig, P. Pillet, P. Cheinet, F. Niyaz, T. F. Gallagher. 2018-05-07. Laser and microwave spectroscopy of even-parity Rydberg states of neutral ytterbium and Multichannel Quantum Defect Theory analysis. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.98.062506

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