Maeda H, Gallagher TF. Quantum suppression of microwave ionization of Rydberg atoms at high scaled frequency.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2004;
93:193002. [PMID:
15600830 DOI:
10.1103/physrevlett.93.193002]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2004] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Microwave ionization of Rydberg atoms is well described as the onset of classical chaos when the microwave frequency omega is less than the Kepler frequency 1/n(3). However, when omega>1/n(3), i.e., at high scaled frequency Omega=omegan(3)>1, classical ionization is predicted to be suppressed by quantum interference, an analogue to Anderson localization in a solid. Using 17.55 GHz microwave fields we have observed the ionization of Sr Rydberg atoms in the regime 1</=Omega</=5 . Our measurements demonstrate the quantum suppression of classical diffusive ionization and show the ionization field to be n independent in this regime.
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