Atom-interferometric measurement of Stark level splittings

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates an atom interferometry technique using Stark level splittings in cesium Rydberg atoms, enabling precise spectroscopy of otherwise inaccessible states and applications in electric field measurement.

Contribution

The study introduces a novel atom-interferometric method employing adiabatic/diabatic passages for measuring Stark level splittings in Rydberg atoms, with good agreement to quantum simulations.

Findings

Interferometric signals match energy-level differences in Stark maps.

Method allows spectroscopy of states inaccessible to direct laser observation.

Potential applications in electric field metrology.

Abstract

Multiple adiabatic/diabatic passages through avoided crossings in the Stark map of cesium Rydberg atoms are employed as beam splitters and recombiners in an atom-interferometric measurement of energy-level splittings. We subject cold cesium atoms to laser-excitation, electric-field and detection sequences that constitute an (internal-state) atom interferometer. For the read-out of the interferometer we utilize state-dependent collisions, which selectively remove atoms of one kind from the detected signal. We investigate the dependence of the interferometric signal on timing and field parameters, and find good agreement with time-dependent quantum simulations of the interferometer. Fourier analysis of the interferometric signals yield coherence frequencies that agree with corresponding energy-level differences in calculated Stark maps. The method enables spectroscopy of states that are inaccessible to direct laser-spectroscopic observation, due to selection rules, and has applications in field metrology.