Mapping trilobite state signatures in atomic hydrogen

TL;DR

This paper develops a static line broadening theory to analyze the spectroscopy of trilobite-like Rydberg states in ultracold gases, revealing unique spectral features independent of medium density.

Contribution

It introduces a new theoretical framework for accurately modeling polyatomic Rydberg molecules with many perturbers, extending previous methods.

Findings

Spectral lineshape depends on Rydberg quantum number n.

Lineshape is independent of medium density.

Spectra show sharply peaked features from potential energy oscillations.

Abstract

A few-body approach relying on static line broadening theory is developed to treat the spectroscopy of a single Rydberg excitation to a trilobite-like state immersed in a high density ultracold medium. The present theoretical framework implements the compact treatment of polyatomic Rydberg molecules by Eiles et al. [arXiv:1601.06881], allowing for an accurate treatment of a large number of perturbers within the Rydberg orbit. This system exhibits two unique spectral signatures: its lineshape depends on the Rydberg quantum number $n$ but, strikingly, is independent of the density of the medium, and it is characterized by sharply peaked features reflecting the oscillatory structure of the potential energy landscape.