Quantum states of ultracold electronically excited atoms in a magnetic quadrupole trap

Abstract

In this work we present an investigation on the quantum dynamics of ultracold electronically excited atoms exposed to an external magnetic quadrupole field. We present a general Hamiltonian which describes the quantum dynamics of an atom in an arbitrary linear magnetic field. This makes our approach applicable to a wide range of atoms and magnetic field configurations. The system is solved by incorporating an adiabatic separation of the electronic and center-of-mass dynamics. We provide the adiabatic energy surfaces and discuss under which conditions trapped center-of-mass states can be achieved. We present energies and wave functions of the corresponding quantum states. By analyzing the properties of the combined center-of-mass and electronic quantum states we demonstrate that the extension of the electronic wave function can exceed that of the center-of-mass motion. Therefore such atoms cannot be considered as being pointlike. A discussion of electromagnetic transitions is also provided.