Two-dimensional momentum imaging of Rydberg states using half-cycle pulse ionization and velocity map imaging

A. Wetzels (1) , A. Gürtler (1) , F. Rosca-Pruna (1) , S. Zamith (1) , M. J. J. Vrakking (1) , F. Robicheaux (2) , W. J. van Der Zande (3)

1 AMOLF - FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics
2 Department of Physics [Auburn]
3 Department of Molecule and Laser Physics

The influence of the half-cycle pulse (HCP) kick on the asymptotic velocity of the ejected electron has been studied for excited xenon atoms (n* = 34) in the presence of a static electric field (220 V cm–1). We find that the HCP does not change the momentum distribution perpendicular to the kick direction. Therefore half-cycle pulse ionization and electron velocity map imaging can be used to obtain two-dimensional momentum distributions of atomic Rydberg states. Semiclassical and quantum mechanical calculations complement the experimental results.

Domaines: Physique Atomique [physics.atom-ph]

A. Wetzels, A. Gürtler, F. Rosca-Pruna, S. Zamith, M. J. J. Vrakking, et al.. Two-dimensional momentum imaging of Rydberg states using half-cycle pulse ionization and velocity map imaging. Physical Review A : Atomic, molecular, and optical physics [1990-2015], 2003, 68, pp.041401(R). ⟨10.1103/PhysRevA.68.041401⟩. ⟨hal-00005054⟩