We have observed the deflection of Rydberg atoms towards a metallic surface by the van der Waals force. Cs and Na atoms in states of principal quantum number n were sent between two parallel gold-coated mirrors, spaced by a gap w (2.1 μm≤w≤8.5 μm). We measured the value nm at which the transmission cuts off and from the variation of nm versus w, we obtained a measure of the atom-surface interaction. For 12<n<30 this interaction is 3–4 orders of magnitude larger than for ground-state atoms, and it obeys the scaling laws of the Lennard-Jones model.
%0 Journal Article
%1 AndHarMes88
%A Anderson, A.
%A Haroche, S.
%A Hinds, E. A.
%A Jhe, W.
%A Meschede, D.
%D 1988
%I American Physical Society
%J Physical Review A
%K qip-special, rydberg, surface-effects, vanderwaals, vdw
%N 9
%P 3594--3597
%R 10.1103/physreva.37.3594
%T Measuring the van der Waals forces between a Rydberg atom and a metallic surface
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/physreva.37.3594
%V 37
%X We have observed the deflection of Rydberg atoms towards a metallic surface by the van der Waals force. Cs and Na atoms in states of principal quantum number n were sent between two parallel gold-coated mirrors, spaced by a gap w (2.1 μm≤w≤8.5 μm). We measured the value nm at which the transmission cuts off and from the variation of nm versus w, we obtained a measure of the atom-surface interaction. For 12<n<30 this interaction is 3–4 orders of magnitude larger than for ground-state atoms, and it obeys the scaling laws of the Lennard-Jones model.
@article{AndHarMes88,
abstract = {{We have observed the deflection of Rydberg atoms towards a metallic surface by the van der Waals force. Cs and Na atoms in states of principal quantum number n were sent between two parallel gold-coated mirrors, spaced by a gap w (2.1 μm≤w≤8.5 μm). We measured the value nm at which the transmission cuts off and from the variation of nm versus w, we obtained a measure of the atom-surface interaction. For 12<n<30 this interaction is 3–4 orders of magnitude larger than for ground-state atoms, and it obeys the scaling laws of the Lennard-Jones model.}},
added-at = {2019-02-26T15:22:34.000+0100},
author = {Anderson, A. and Haroche, S. and Hinds, E. A. and Jhe, W. and Meschede, D.},
biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2262b5e6deba78467979243e4962a2baa/rspreeuw},
citeulike-article-id = {5470563},
citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/physreva.37.3594},
citeulike-linkout-1 = {http://link.aps.org/abstract/PRA/v37/i9/p3594},
citeulike-linkout-2 = {http://link.aps.org/pdf/PRA/v37/i9/p3594},
doi = {10.1103/physreva.37.3594},
interhash = {21164012d24304d65cb3779e8c383eaa},
intrahash = {262b5e6deba78467979243e4962a2baa},
journal = {Physical Review A},
keywords = {qip-special, rydberg, surface-effects, vanderwaals, vdw},
month = may,
number = 9,
pages = {3594--3597},
posted-at = {2009-08-18 22:19:45},
priority = {2},
publisher = {American Physical Society},
timestamp = {2019-02-26T15:22:34.000+0100},
title = {{Measuring the van der Waals forces between a Rydberg atom and a metallic surface}},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/physreva.37.3594},
volume = 37,
year = 1988
}