Structure and Dynamics of Excited Atoms

Abstract

We have studied processes in excited atoms driven by strong microwave radiation fields to gain a quantitative understanding of what are usually thought of as highly nonlinear processes. We have discovered that circularly polarized microwave fields produce ionization only at fields above 1/16n4, the much higher field required for static field ionization. We have also observed above threshold ionization at microwave frequencies and shown that in the microwave regime it is easily described by a classical theory, which ties together above threshold ionization at microwave frequencies and shown that in the microwave regime it is easily described by a classical theory, which ties together above threshold ionization and ponderomotive energy shifts. Finally, we have made significant progress toward observing collisions which begin and end under control. Laser, Microwave, Multiphoton, Collisions, Resonance collisional energy transfer, Excitation, Ionization, Quasi static field, Physics.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1990
Accession Number
ADA221973

Entities

People

  • Thomas. F. Gallagher

Organizations

  • University of Virginia

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Atoms
  • Circular Polarization
  • Classification
  • Collisions
  • Electric Fields
  • Energy Transfer
  • Frequency
  • Ionization
  • Microwave Frequency
  • Polarization
  • Quantum Numbers
  • Radiation
  • Radio Frequency
  • Rydberg Atoms
  • Scientific Research

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Molecular Photonics/Laser Physics
  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy