| Issue |
Europhys. Lett.
Volume 65, Number 4, February 2004
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 478 - 484 | |
| Section | Atomic and molecular physics | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1209/epl/i2003-10109-0 | |
| Published online | 01 February 2004 | |
Rydberg atoms in magnetic quadrupole traps
1
Physikalisches Institut, Universität Heidelberg Philosophenweg 12, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
2
Theoretische Chemie, Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Universität Heidelberg INF 229 - 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Corresponding authors: ilesanov@physi.uni-heidelberg.de joerg.schmiedmayer@physi.uni-heidelberg.de Peter.Schmelcher@pci.uni-heidelberg.de
Received:
22
October
2003
Accepted:
2
December
2003
We investigate the electronic structure and properties of Rydberg atoms exposed to a magnetic quadrupole field. It is shown that the spatial as well as generalized time-reversal symmetries lead to a two-fold degeneracy of the electronic states in the presence of the external field. A delicate interplay between the Coulomb and magnetic interactions in the inhomogeneous field leads to an unusual weak field splitting of the energy levels as well as complex spatial patterns of the corresponding spin polarization density of individual Rydberg states. Remarkably, the magnetic quadrupole field induces a permanent electric-dipole moment of the atom.
PACS: 31.15.-p – Calculations and mathematical techniques in atomic and molecular physics (excluding electron correlation calculations) / 32.60.+i – Atomic properties and interactions with photons: Zeeman and Stark effects / 33.55.Be – Molecular properties and interactions with photons: Zeeman and Stark effects
© EDP Sciences, 2004
Current usage metrics show cumulative count of Article Views (full-text article views including HTML views, PDF and ePub downloads, according to the available data) and Abstracts Views on Vision4Press platform.
Data correspond to usage on the plateform after 2015. The current usage metrics is available 48-96 hours after online publication and is updated daily on week days.
Initial download of the metrics may take a while.