High-|m|Rydberg states in strong magnetic fields

Abstract

We calculate spectra and wave functions of Rydberg atoms in strong magnetic fields using adiabatic basis sets, which reflect the different time scales of the electronic motion parallel and transverse to the magnetic field. For large absolute values of the azimuthal quantum number m, nonadiabatic corrections are found to be negligible, and the adiabatic basis states and their energies are exact solutions. With decreasing value of $|m|,$ the system turns nonadiabatic, and the statistical behavior of the spectra changes from being consistent with classically regular to being consistent with classically chaotic motion. A relation describing the parameter region in which this transition occurs is obtained.