https://doi.org/10.1007/s100530050261
Chaotic enhancement in microwave ionization of Rydberg atoms
1
International Centre for the Study of Dynamical
Systems, Università di Milano, Sede di Como, via Lucini 3,
22100 Como, Italy
2
Instituto Nazionale di Fisica della Materia,
Unità di Milano, via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano, Italy
3
INFN, Sezione di Milano, via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano,
Italy
4
Laboratoire de Physique
Quantique (UMR C5626 du CNRS) ,
Université Paul Sabatier, 31062 Toulouse, France
Received:
20
May
1998
Revised:
30
October
1998
Accepted:
17
November
1998
Published online: 15 March 1999
The microwave ionization of internally chaotic Rydberg atoms is studied analytically and numerically. The internal chaos is induced by magnetic or static electric fields. This leads to a chaotic enhancement of microwave excitation. The dynamical localization theory gives a detailed description of the excitation process even in a regime where up to few thousands photons are required to ionize one atom. Possible laboratory experiments are also discussed.
PACS: 32.80.Rm – Multiphoton ionization and excitation to highly excited states (e.g., Rydberg states) / 05.45.+b – Theory and models of chaotic systems / 72.15.Rn – Quantum localization
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 1999