Abstract
The lifetimes and decay channels of ultralong-range Rydberg molecules created in a dense Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) are examined by monitoring the time evolution of the Rydberg population using field ionization. The Rydberg molecules, which contain tens to hundreds of ground state atoms within the electron orbit, have lifetimes of ∼ 1 to 5 µs, their destruction being attributed to two main processes: formation of ions through associative ionization, and dissociation induced through L-changing reactions. The observed loss rates are consistent with a reaction model that emphasizes the interaction between the Rydberg core ion and its nearest neighbor ground state atom. The application of this model to earlier measurements of strontium dimer lifetimes at lower densities is discussed.
Highlights
Recent work suggests that Rydberg molecules might be used to probe the properties of cold dense gases including examining collective phenomena such as the creation of polarons
The Rydberg molecules, which contain tens to hundreds of ground state atoms within the electron orbit, have lifetimes of ∼ 1 to 5 μs, their destruction being attributed to two main processes: formation of Sr+2 ions through associative ionization, and dissociation induced through L-changing reactions
The observed loss rates are consistent with a reaction model that emphasizes the interaction between the Rydberg core ion and its nearest neighbor ground state atom
Summary
- Lifetimes of ultralong-range Strontium Rydberg molecules in a dense BEC F. - Anisotropic blockade using pendular longrange Rydberg molecules M. - Polyatomic ultralong-range Rydberg molecules in external fields Javier Aguilera-Fernández and Rosario González-Férez. This content was downloaded from IP address 128.42.235.63 on 28/02/2018 at 19:29.
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