Anisotropic interactions between ultracold Rydberg atoms and Rydberg atom imaging methods

Abstract

This project is based on current work taking place in the research group of Professor Luis Marcassa at the University of São Paulo (USP) and Prof. James Shaffer at the University of Oklahoma (OU). Experiments on Rydberg atom- Rydberg atom interactions will be conducted to study their anisotropy using novel Rydberg atom imaging and time-of-flight methods. The results of these experiments will be compared to theory done by the research group at OU. Specifically, the strength of the anisotropic interaction between Rydberg atoms polarized in an electric field will be measured by 3 dimensional imaging spectroscopy of single collisions between pairs of Rydberg atoms and compared to our calculations. At the University of São Paulo, experiments on anisotropic Rydberg atom interactions using optical lattices and different shaped traps will be investigated. These experiments will measure collisional loss rates as a function of electric field direction, electric field magnitude and trap geometry. The results of the experiments in São Paulo will be compared to calculations conducted at the University of Oklahoma. (AU)