Abstract
One of the dominant systematic effects that shift resonance lines in high-precision measurements of two-photon transitions is the dynamic (ac) Stark shift. For suitable laser frequencies, the ac Stark shift acquires an imaginary part which corresponds to the rate of resonant one-photon ionization of electrons into a continuum state. At the current level of spectroscopic accuracy, the underlying time-dependent quantum dynamics governing the atomic two-photon excitation process must be well understood, and related considerations are the subject of the present paper. In order to illustrate the basic mechanisms in the transient regime, we investigate an analytically solvable model scenario for the population dynamics in the density matrix formalism and describe in detail how to generalize the corresponding equations of motion for individual experimental use. We also calculate the dynamic Stark shift for two-photon S-S and S-D transitions in bound two-body Coulomb systems and the corresponding two-photon transition matrix elements. In particular, we investigate transitions for which the 1S ground state or alternatively the metastable 2S state acts as the lower-energy state, and for which states with n≤20 represent the upper states. Relativistic and radiative corrections to the excitation dynamics, and the corresponding limitations to the accuracy of the measurements, are briefly discussed. Our considerations suggest the general feasibility of a detection mechanism, offering high quantum efficiency, based on two-step three-photon resonant ionization spectroscopy, for large classes of experimentally relevant two-photon transitions in two-body Coulomb systems.
Recommended Citation
M. K. Haas and U. D. Jentschura and C. H. Keitel and N. N. Kolachevsky and M. Herrmann and P. Fendel and M. P. Fischer and T. H. Udem and R. Holzwarth and T. W. Hansch and M. O. Scully and G. S. Agarwal, "Two-Photon Excitation Dynamics in Bound Two-Body Coulomb Systems Including ac Stark Shift and Ionization," Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics, vol. 73, no. 5, pp. 052501-1 - 052501-24, American Physical Society (APS), May 2006.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.73.052501
Department(s)
Physics
Keywords and Phrases
Coulomb Blockade; Electric Excitation; Electron Density Measurement; Electron Energy Levels; Ionization; Mathematical Models; Quantum Theory; Spectroscopic Analysis; Excitation Dynamics; High-precision Measurements; Photon Transitions; Stark Shifts; Photons
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
1050-2947
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Final Version
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2006 American Physical Society (APS), All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 May 2006
