AC-Stark shift and photoionization of Rydberg atoms in an optical dipole trap

Abstract

We have measured the AC-Stark shift of the $14D_{5/2}$ Rydberg state of rubidium 87 in an optical dipole trap formed by a focussed CO${}_2$-laser. We find good quantitative agreement with the model of a free electron experiencing a ponderomotive potential in the light field. In order to reproduce the observed spectra we take into account the broadening of the Rydberg state due to photoionization. The extracted cross-section is compatible with previous measurements on neighboring Rydberg states.

References in corpus (4)

• Evidence for coherent collective Rydberg excitation in the strong blockade regime
• Experimental demonstration of single-site addressability in a two-dimensional optical lattice
• Spatially Resolved Excitation of Rydberg Atoms and Surface Effects on an Atom Chip
• Rabi oscillations and excitation trapping in the coherent excitation of a mesoscopic frozen Rydberg gas

Cited by in corpus (3)

• Diffusive-like Redistribution in State-changing Collisions between Rydberg Atoms and Ground State Atoms
• Modulation spectroscopy of Rydberg atoms in an optical lattice
• Gauge effects in bound-bound Rydberg-transition matrix elements