Isolated core excitation of high-orbital-quantum-number Rydberg states of ytterbium

Abstract

We study isolated core excitation of ultra cold ytterbium Rydberg atoms of high orbital quantum number. Measurements were performed on the $6s_{1/2} 40l \rightarrow 6p_{1/2} 40l $ transition with $l=5-9$. The extracted energy shifts and autoionization rates are in good agreement with a model based on independant electrons, taking into account interactions in a perturbative approach. We reveal a particularly long persistence of the autoionization rates with the orbital quantum number, explained by the strong coupling of the $6p_{1/2}nl$ autoionizing state with the $5d_{3/2}\epsilon l'$ continua compared to previously studied divalent atoms.