Participating Students: Kelly Younge and Sarah Anderson

                                                    

What are Rydberg atoms?

• Rydberg atoms are atoms in highly excited states. Their name comes from the Rydberg formula which describes the energy levels of the hydrogen atom. The energy levels of the Rydberg atom can be described by a modified Rydberg formula. This is because the  outermost electron of a Rydberg atom sees a ionic core which is like the hydrogen nucleus. 

Why study Rydberg atoms?

• Rydberg atoms possess properties which make them useful not only for the study of basic physics, but in potential application as extremely sensitive field sensors or in a physical manifestation of a quantum computer.  

The fine print:

• Of course, it is only when we are able to carefully control the location of and interactions among Rydberg atoms that some of the most promising work can be accomplished.

On the following pages  we describe:

• Our efforts to understand the processes that take place in cold, dense Rydberg gases, and
•  progress toward the trapping of cold Rydberg atoms