Interaction-induced stabilization of ultracold Rydberg atoms in a Ioffe-Pritchard trap

Abstract

Interaction-induced stabilization of ultracold Rydberg atoms in a Ioffe-Pritchard trap — Subject of this thesis is a theoretical investigation of the quantum properties of highly excited atoms in an inhomogeneous magnetic field configuration. It is demonstrated how the large size of the Rydberg atoms alters the coupling to strong magnetic gradients. We find that Rydberg atoms can be tightly trapped in long-lived electronic states. This confinement permits the creation of a one-dimensional Rydberg gas stabilized against auto-ionization by a dipolar repulsion between the atoms, which is generated imposing a homogeneous electric field. This strongly anisotropic interaction is also responsible for a well controllable equilibrium configuration of two Rydberg atoms in the trap whose distance can be changed by tuning the electric field.