Zeros of Rydberg-Rydberg Foster Interactions
arXiv:physics/0407048 · doi:10.1088/0953-4075/38/2/022
Abstract
Rydberg states of atoms are of great current interest for quantum manipulation of mesoscopic samples of atoms. Long-range Rydberg-Rydberg interactions can inhibit multiple excitations of atoms under the appropriate conditions. These interactions are strongest when resonant collisional processes give rise to long-range C_3/R^3 interactions. We show in this paper that even under resonant conditions C_3 often vanishes so that care is required to realize full dipole blockade in micron-sized atom samples.
10 pages, 4 figures, submitted to J. Phys. B