Observation of high angular momentum states of Rydberg atoms in strong magnetic and weak crossed electric fields

Abstract

High angular momentum Rydberg states of atoms in strong magnetic fields or in strong magnetic and weak crossed electric fields correspond to classical regular drift trajectories around the positive ion core. The motion can be adiabatically separated in a fast cyclotron motion, an oscillation in magnetic field direction, and a slow drift motion. Some of the drift trajectories display huge electric-dipole moments induced by the weak electric field. Corresponding atomic drift states with large electric dipole moments are theoretically predicted. In the experiment drift states are excited by an optical one-photon transition. The excitation of drift-state atoms is very efficient in the vicinity of anti-crossings between Rydberg states with large photoexcitation cross section and drift states. The drift-state atoms are separated from other Rydberg atoms via electric-dipole deflection in an inhomogeneous electric field. The size of the observed dipole moments agrees quite well with theoretical values.