Efficient optical excitation of the highest energy level of the N=17 Stark manifold in barium

Abstract

The authors report on two-photon laser experiments on the n=17 Stark manifold of Ba in an electric field varying from 0 to 1170 V cm-1. The observed wavelengths and peak intensities in the manifold are compared with the predictions of the diagonalisation method developed by Zimmerman et al. (1978-1979). Efficient excitation of the highest energy level in the Stark manifold is shown to take place inside a narrow range of electric field strength. This feature turns out to be favourable for future preparation of circular atoms ( mod m mod =l=n-1).