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Quantum chaos in atoms in external fields

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This research project is devoted to the theoretical investigation of quantum chaos in the Rydberg atom spectra in external fields. It exploits the idea of selective excitation of the irregular atomic states with an increased contribution of certain classical periodic orbits. This method will allow for the creation of wavepackets of chaotic states propagating along single classical orbits. It will also make it possible to study delicate spectral phenomena connected with the contribution of the ghost orbits existing in the complex phase space and (in the case of many-electron atoms) of the core-scattered orbits. The impact of the valence electron interaction with the core on the irregular spectrum is also to be studied in the stationary approach by carrying out statistical analysis of the energy eigenvalues distribution.

The possibilities will be explored of the method of the double-step excitation of the diamagnetic atomic states belonging to the irregular spectrum via an intermediate l-mixed Rydberg state. An increase of contribution of certain groups of classical periodic orbits can be achieved in this way. Combining this method with a short laser pulse excitation will demonstrate that coherent wavepackets of atomic states moving along single isolated classical periodic orbits can be produced. This shall provide a unique possibility to trace the correspondence between the classical and quantum dynamics of the atomic electron in the classically chaotic region. In the case of complex atoms, observation of the wavepackets associated with just one periodic will be used to investigate the interaction between the core and the valence Rydberg electron. This interaction is strongly non-classical and it is still not completely clear.

The non-stationary approach based on tracing the wavepacket propagation can be considered as complementary when looking for the highly excited solutions of the stationary Schrödinger equation. Here, one gets the energy level distribution which can be used for the study of the level statistics and its comparison with the predictions of the random matrix theory. In the case of complex Rydberg atoms in external fields, the origin of the chaotic dynamics is due to the lowering of symmetry because of the presence of the external field and one is connected with the short-range, non-classical, character of the valence electron- core interaction. The use of selective excitation of some periodic to study the core-scattered periodic orbits where the electron is scattered by the ionic core from one periodic orbit to another one will be undertaken. The contributions are usually quite small and can be hidden by the ordinary periodic orbits. By using a selective excitation of one or two primary periodic orbits, the contribution of the corresponding core-scattered orbits should be considerably enhanced.

Finally, the role of ghost orbits (periodic orbits with complex position and momentum will be studied by the propagation of a (real) wavepacket in the vicinity of a (complex) periodic orbit, or by of the Fourier transforms of the excitation spectra.

Aufforderung zur Vorschlagseinreichung

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Finanzierungsplan

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Koordinator

UNIVERSITÉ PIERRE ET MARIE CURIE PARIS VI
EU-Beitrag
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Adresse
PLACE JUSSIEU, 4
PARIS
Frankreich

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Beteiligte (5)