Laser-induced excitation of electronic rydberg wave packets

We give a qualitative review of theoretical ideas and experimental work on laser-induced excitation of atomic Rydberg wave packets. Studying the motion of Rydberg wave packets with the help of short or intense laser pulses provides a bridge between quantum mechanics and the classical concept of the trajectory of an electron and corresponds to the real-time observation of atomic dynamics.     

Resonance-assisted decay of nondispersive wave packets

We present a quantitative semiclassical theory for the decay of nondispersive electronic wave packets in driven, ionizing Rydberg systems. Statistically robust quantities are extracted combining resonance-assisted tunneling with subsequent transport across chaotic phase space and a final ionization step.     

磁场中氢里德堡波包的自动关联函数

本文采用激光短脉冲激发磁场中氢原子,研究氢里德堡波包在磁场中随时间的演化.结果证实氢里德堡波包在磁场中的运动也与闭合轨道密切相关.讨论了脉冲宽度τ对自动关联函数的影响以及不同初始态下的自动关联函数.     

Realization of localized Bohr-like wave packets

We demonstrate a protocol to create localized wave packets in very-high-n Rydberg states which travel in nearly circular orbits around the nucleus. Although these wave packets slowly dephase and eventually lose their localization, their motion can be monitored over several orbital periods. These wave packets represent the closest analog yet achieved to the original Bohr model of the hydrogen atom, i.e., an electron in a circular classical orbit around the nucleus. The possible extension of the approach to create "planetary atoms" in highly correlated stable multiply excited states is discussed.     

Dynamics of Electronic Rydberg Wave Packets in the Presence of Laser-induced Core Transitions

Recent theoretical work on the dynamics of electronic Rydberg wave packets under the influence of laser-induced core transitions is reviewed. The discussion focuses on the intricate interplay between laser-modified electron correlation effects, radiative damping by the ionic core and the time evolution of electronic Rydberg wave packets. Via the stimulated light force this interplay manifests itself also in the atomic center of mass motion. A unified theoretical framework is provided by combining methods of quantum defect theory, stochastic techniques and semiclassical path expansions.     

Classical and quantum Hamiltonian ratchets

We explain the mechanism leading to directed chaotic transport in Hamiltonian systems with spatial and temporal periodicity. We show that a mixed phase space comprising both regular and chaotic motion is required and we derive a classical sum rule which allows one to predict the chaotic transport velocity from properties of regular phase-space components. Transport in quantum Hamiltonian ratchets arises by the same mechanism as long as uncertainty allows one to resolve the classical phase-space structure. We derive a quantum sum rule analogous to the classical one, based on the relation between quantum transport and band structure.     

Photoelectron angular distributions of H ionization in low energy regime:Comparison between different potentials

We theoretically investigate the low energy part of the photoelectron spectra in the tunneling ionization regime by numerically solving the time-dependent Schrdinger equation for different atomic potentials at various wavelengths.We find that the shift of the first above-threshold ionization(ATI) peak is closely related to the interferences between electron wave packets,which are controlled by the laser field and largely independent of the potential.By gradually changing the short-range potential to the long-range Coulomb potential,we show that the long-range potential's effect is mainly to focus the electrons along the laser's polarization and to generate the spider structure by enhancing the rescattering process with the parent ion.In addition,we find that the intermediate transitions and the Rydberg states have important influences on the number and the shape of the lobes near the threshold.     

Ionization of the water by intense ultrashort half-cycle electric pulses

The ionization of the water molecule by intense ultrashort half-cycle electric pulses is studied theoretically. The formation of the electron wave packets in the continuum was investigated by calculating ionization probability densities using classical and quantum mechanical models. Single active electron and frozen core calculations were performed within the hydrogenic approximation. Electrons from the highest occupied molecular orbital 1b₁1b_1 were considered. We found good agreement between the classical and quantum mechanical calculation at high intensities, where the over-the-barrier ionization mechanism is dominant.     

Fractal dynamics in the ionization of helium Rydberg atoms

We study the ionization of helium Rydberg atoms in an electric field above the classical ionization threshold within the semiclassical theory.By introducing a fractal approach to describe the chaotic dynamical behavior of the ionization,we identify the fractal self-similarity structure of the escape time versus the distribution of the initial launch angles of electrons,and find that the self-similarity region shifts toward larger initial launch angles with a decrease in the scaled energy.We connect the fractal structure of the escape time plot to the escape dynamics of ionized electrons.Of particular note is that the fractal dimensions are sensitively controlled by the scaled energy and magnetic field,and exhibit excellent agreement with the chaotic extent of the ionization systems for both helium and hydrogen Rydberg atoms.It is shown that,besides the electric and magnetic fields,core scattering is a primary factor in the fractal dynamics.     

The chaotic property in the autoionization of Rydberg lithium atom

This paper presents theoretical computations of the ionization rate of Rydberg lithium atom above the classical ionization threshold using semiclassical approximation. The yielded random pulse trains of the escape electrons are recorded as a function of emission time such that they can be related to the terms of the recurrence periods of the photoabsorption. This fact illustrates that it is ionic core scattering processes which give rise to chaos in autoionization dynamics and this is verified by comparison of our results with the hydrogen atom situation. In order to reveal the chaotic properties in detail, the sensitive dependence of the ionization rate upon the scaled energy is discussed for different scaled energies. This approach provides a simple explanation for the chaotic character in autoionization decay of Rydberg alkali-metal atoms.     

Navigating localized wave packets in phase space

The ability to localize and to steer Rydberg wave packets in phase space using tailored sequences of half-cycle pulses is demonstrated. Classical phase-space portraits are used to explain the method and to illustrate the level of control that can be achieved. This is confirmed experimentally by positioning a phase-space-localized wave packet at the center of a stable island or navigating it around its periphery. This work provides a valuable starting point for further engineering of electronic wave functions.     

Semiclassical calculation of ionization rate for Rydberg hydrogen atoms near a metal surface

The ionization of Rydberg hydrogen atoms near a metal surface at different scaled energies above the classical saddle point energy has been discussed by using the semiclassical method. The results show that the atoms ionize by emitting a train of electron pulses. In order to reveal the chaotic and escape dynamical properties of this system in detail, the sensitive dependence of the ionization rate upon the scaled energy is discussed. As the scaled energy is close to the saddle point energy, the ionization process of the hydrogen atom is nearly the same as the case of hydrogen atom in an electric field. There is only a single pulse of electrons, with an exponentially decaying tail. With the increase of the scaled energy, the ionization rates are similar to the case of the hydrogen atom in parallel electric and magnetic field, a series of electron pulses appear in the ionization process. This is caused by classical chaos, which occurs for the metal surface. Our studies also suggest that the metal surface can play the role of both the electric and the magnetic fields. Our theoretical analysis will be useful for guiding experimental studies of the ionization of atoms near the metal surface.     

Microwave control of transport through a chaotic mesoscopic dot

We establish analogy between a microwave ionization of Rydberg atoms and a charge transport through a chaotic quantum dot induced by a monochromatic field in a regime with a potential barrier between dot contacts. We show that the quantum coherence leads to dynamical localization of electron excitation in energy so that only a finite number of photons is absorbed inside the dot. The theory developed determines the dependence of localization length on dot and microwave parameters showing that the microwave power can switch the dot between metallic and insulating regimes. ultiphoton ionization and excitation to highly excited states (e.g., Rydberg states)     

Photoionization microscopy of hydrogen atom near a metal surface

We have studied the ionization of Rydberg hydrogen atom near a metal surface with a semiclassical analysis of photoionization microscopy. Interference patterns of the electron radial distribution are calculated at different scaled energies above the classical saddle point and at various atom-surface distances. We find that different types of trajectories contribute predominantly to different manifolds in a certain interference pattern. As the scaled energy increases, the structure of the interference pattern evolves smoothly and more types of trajectories emerge. As the atom approaches the metal surface closer, there are more types of trajectories contributing to the interference pattern as well. When the Rydberg atom comes very close to the metal surface or the scaled energy approaches the zero field ionization energy, the potential induced by the metal surface will make atomic system chaotic. The results also show that atoms near a metal surface exhibit similar properties like the atoms in the parallel electric and magnetic fields.     

Observation of inner electron ionization from radial rydberg wave packets in two-electron atoms

We have observed multiphoton ionization of the 5s core electron from a 5snd radial Rydberg wave packet of Sr atoms using a short optical pulse. When the outer nd electron is at its outer turning point the inner 5s electron is removed from the atom, and the outer electron is left in a Sr+ Rydberg state, but when the outer electron is at the inner turning point this does not occur. Analysis of the final Sr+ Rydberg states shows that the two electrons interact as the inner electron leaves, so that the outer electron is not simply projected onto the Sr+ Rydberg states.     

Attosecond electron wave packet dynamics in strong laser fields

We use a train of sub-200 attosecond extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulses with energies just above the ionization threshold in argon to create a train of temporally localized electron wave packets. We study the energy transfer from a strong infrared (IR) laser field to the ionized electrons as a function of the delay between the XUV and IR fields. When the wave packets are born at the zero crossings of the IR field, a significant amount of energy (approximately 20 eV) is transferred from the field to the electrons. This results in dramatically enhanced above-threshold ionization in conditions where the IR field alone does not induce any significant ionization. Because both the energy and duration of the wave packets can be varied independently of the IR laser, they are valuable tools for studying and controlling strong-field processes.     

Quasiclassical dynamics of resonantly driven Rydberg states

We present a semiclassical analysis of the dynamics of Rydberg states of atomic hydrogen driven by a resonant microwave field of linear polarization. The semiclassical quasienergies of the atom in the field are found to be in very good agreement with the exact quantum solutions. The ionization rates of individual eigenstates of the atom dressed by the field reflect their quasiclassical dynamics along classical periodic orbits in the near integrable regime, but exhibit a transition to nonspecific rates when global chaos takes over in phase space. We concentrate both on the principal resonance where the unperturbed Kepler frequency is equal to the driving field frequency and on the higher primary resonance The latter case allows for the construction of nondispersive wave packets which propagate along Kepler ellipses of intermediate eccentricity. Received: 23 June 1998 / Accepted: 10 November 1998     

Forms of localization of Rydberg wave packets

A graphic method for describing the localization of quantum wave packets in several dimensions is proposed. The method employs classical action-angle coordinates. Different kind of wave packets arising in the two-and three-dimensional Coulomb problems are described from a unified point of view. Specifically, a more precise interpretation of the structure of “angular” Rydberg wave packets is given. Certain additional features of the proposed approach are discussed.     

Semiclassical propagation of Gaussian wave packets

We analyze the semiclassical evolution of Gaussian wave packets in chaotic systems. We show that after some short time a Gaussian wave packet becomes a primitive WKB state. From then on, the state can be propagated using the standard time-dependent WKB scheme. Complex trajectories are not necessary to account for the long-time propagation. The Wigner function of the evolving state develops the structure of a classical filament plus quantum oscillations, with phase and amplitude being determined by geometric properties of a classical manifold.