Title: Controlled Dipole-Dipole Interactions Between K Rydberg Atoms in a Laser-Chopped Effusive Beam

M.R. Kutteruf and R.R. Jones

Abstract:

We utilize a novel technique to explore pulsed-field control of resonant dipole-dipole interactions between K Rydberg atoms. A laser-based atomic beam chopper is used to reduce the relative velocities of Rydberg atoms excited from an effusive thermal source. Resonant energy transfer (RET) between pairs of atoms is controlled via Stark tuning of the relevant Rydberg energy levels. Resonance line-shapes in the electric field-dependence of the RET probability are used to determine the effective temperature of the sample. We demonstrate that the relative atom velocities can be reduced to the point where the duration of the electric field tuning pulses, not the motion of neighboring atoms, defines the interaction time for each pair within the ensemble. Coherent, transform-limited broadening of the resonance lineshape is observed as the tuning pulse duration is reduced below the natural time-scale for collisions.

Status: Physical Review A 82, 063409 (2010).