Isolated core excitation of high orbital quantum number Rydberg states of ytterbium

TL;DR

This study investigates the energy shifts and autoionization rates of high orbital quantum number Rydberg states in ytterbium, revealing long autoionization persistence due to strong continuum coupling, with implications for atomic physics models.

Contribution

It provides experimental data and a perturbative model for autoionization in high-l Rydberg states of ytterbium, highlighting strong continuum interactions.

Findings

Energy shifts and autoionization rates agree with the independent electron model.

Autoionization rates persist longer at high orbital quantum numbers.

Strong coupling with continua explains the observed autoionization behavior.

Abstract

We study isolated core excitation of ultra cold ytterbium Rydberg atoms of high orbital quantum number. Measurements were performed on the $6s_{1/2} 40l \rightarrow 6p_{1/2} 40l $ transition with $l=5-9$. The extracted energy shifts and autoionization rates are in good agreement with a model based on independant electrons, taking into account interactions in a perturbative approach. We reveal a particularly long persistence of the autoionization rates with the orbital quantum number, explained by the strong coupling of the $6p_{1/2}nl$ autoionizing state with the $5d_{3/2}\epsilon l'$ continua compared to previously studied divalent atoms.