Excitation and Ionization of Rydberg Atoms

Using Microwave and Static Fields

Dennis Bauer

Advisor: Dr. Enrique J. Galvez

 

Sodium atoms were excited to an s state of a high principle quantum number, n 30, in the presence of a static electric field. These excited atoms, Rydberg atoms, were then exposed to a microwave field. Measurements of the survival probability as a function of both static and microwave fields were made. We will compare these results to a theoretical model.