%0 Journal Article
%T Determination of the Rb ng-series quantum defect by electric-field-induced resonant energy transfer between cold Rydberg atoms
%A K. Afrousheh
%A P. Bohlouli-Zanjani
%A J. A. Petrus
%A J. D. D. Martin
%J Physics
%D 2006
%I arXiv
%R 10.1103/PhysRevA.74.062712
%X Resonant energy transfer between cold Rydberg atoms was used to determine Rydberg atom energy levels, at precisions approaching those obtainable in microwave spectroscopy. Laser cooled Rb atoms from a magneto-optical trap were optically excited to 32d Rydberg states. The two-atom process 32d(j=5/2) + 32d(j=5/2) -> 34p(j=3/2) + 30g is resonant at an electric field of approximately 0.3 V/cm. This process is driven by the electric dipole-dipole interaction, which is allowed due to the partial f character that the g state acquires in an electric field. The experimentally observed resonant field, together with the Stark map calculation is used to make a determination of the Rb ng-series quantum defect: delta_g (n=30) = 0.00405(6).
%U http://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0608198v2