"Microwave Excitation and Ionization of Na Rydberg Atoms"
Matthew Cheyne, Advisor: Dr. Enrique J. Galvez
We have exposed Na Rydberg Atoms (atoms with large principal quantum number n) to
microwave fields of increasing intensity and observed how the fields ionized them. Since the
atoms are in Rydberg states, the Coulomb binding energies between the valence electrons and
the nucleus are much weaker than in normal ground state atoms. This allows us to ionize the
atoms with comparatively low powers (less than 1 mW for n~40). Toward this end, the
experimental aspect of this project has been to build a setup that scans the microwave power
and measures the resulting ionization of Rydberg atoms. The modifications tp the existing
apparatus as well as new results will be discussed.

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