Coulomb Expansion of Laser-Excited Ion Plasmas

200234 citationsJournal Article

Authors

D. Feldbaum · University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

Natalya Morrow · University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

Sangit Dutta · University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

Georg Raithel · University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

Abstract

We determine the electric field in mm-sized clouds of cold Rb+ ions, produced by photoionization of laser-cooled 87Rb atoms in a magneto-optical trap, using the Stark effect of embedded Rydberg atoms. The dependence of the electric field on the time delay between the ion plasma production and the probe of the electric field reflects the Coulomb expansion of the plasma. Our experiments and models show expansion times <1micros.

Topics & Keywords

Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates Atomic and Molecular Physics Laser-induced spectroscopy and plasma

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Affordable and clean energy

Publication Details

Published in: Physical Review Letters

Volume 89, Issue 17, pp. 173004-173004

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.89.173004

Field-Weighted Citation Impact: 1.89