Circularizing Rydberg atoms with time-dependent optical traps

Abstract

We discuss three proposed schemes of initializing circular-state Rydberg atoms via optical couplings provided by the ponderomotive effect in contrast to the current circularization methods that utilize electric-dipole interactions. In our first proposed method, a radial optical trap consisting of two Laguerre-Gaussian beams of opposite winding numbers transfers orbital angular momentum to the Rydberg atom, providing a first-order coherent coupling between an F-state and a circular state. Additionally, we propose a one-dimensional ponderomotive optical lattice modulated at rf frequencies, providing quadrupole-like couplings in the hydrogenic manifold for rapid adiabatic passage through a series of intermediate Rydberg states into the circular state. For the third proposed scheme, a two-dimensional ponderomotive optical lattice with a time-orbiting trap center induces effectively the same coupling as a $\sigma^{+}$ or $\sigma^{-}$-polarized rf field of tunable purity for all-optical rapid adiabatic passage into the circular state.