Modulation spectroscopy of Rydberg atoms in an optical lattice

Abstract

We develop and study quantum and semi-classical models of Rydberg-atom spectroscopy in amplitude-modulated optical lattices. Both initial- and target-state Rydberg atoms are trapped in the lattice. Unlike in any other spectroscopic scheme, the modulation-induced ponderomotive coupling between the Rydberg states is spatially periodic and perfectly phase-locked to the lattice trapping potentials. This leads to a novel type of sub-Doppler mechanism, which we explain in detail. In our exact quantum model, we solve the time-dependent Schrödinger equation in the product space of center-of-mass (COM) momentum states and the internal-state space. We also develop a perturbative model based on the band structure in the lattice and Fermi's golden rule, as well as a semi-classical trajectory model in which the COM is treated classically and the internal-state dynamics quantum-mechanically. In all models we obtain the spectrum of the target Rydberg-state population versus the lattice modulation frequency, averaged over the initial thermal COM momentum distribution of the atoms. We investigate the quantum-classical correspondence of the problem in several parameter regimes and exhibit spectral features that arise from vibrational COM coherences and rotary-echo effects. Applications in Rydberg-atom spectroscopy are discussed.

arXiv comment13 pages, 6 figures

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Cited by in corpus (6)

• Array of Individual Circular Rydberg Atoms Trapped in Optical Tweezers
• Photoionization of Rydberg Atoms in Optical Lattices
• Photoionization of $nS$ and $nD$ Rydberg atoms of Rb and Cs from the near-infrared to the ultraviolet spectral region
• Microwave photo-association of fine-structure-induced Rydberg $(n+2)D_{5/2}n{F}_J$ macro-dimer molecules of cesium
• Driving alkali Rydberg transitions with a phase-modulated optical lattice
• Correspondence between classical and quantum resonances