Work

Observation of Resonant Monopole-Dipole Energy Transfer between Rydberg Atoms and Polar Molecules

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Resonant energy transfer (RET) between the equal parity 1s65s ^{3}S_{1} and 1s66s ^{3}S_{1} Rydberg levels in helium has been observed in low-temperature (∼80 mK) collisions with ammonia molecules that undergo inversion transitions in their X ^{1}A_{1} ground electronic state. This hybrid Rydberg-atom-polar-molecule resonant energy transfer represents a monopole-dipole energy exchange reaction that necessarily requires spatial overlap of the Rydberg-electron and molecular wave functions. Calculations that account explicitly for the charge-dipole interaction between the Rydberg electron and the molecule provide a quantitative explanation of the observations. Total parity is conserved in the reaction through the mixing of collisional angular momentum in the atom-molecule complex. This work opens opportunities to expand the toolbox for quantum science with charge-dipole-mediated energy exchange in hybrid atom-polar-molecule platforms.

Source: Physical Review Letters

DOI: 10.1103/k9d5-1jcc

Authors: J. Zou, R. R. W. Wang, R. González-Férez, H. R. Sadeghpour, S. D. Hogan

Institutions: University College London, Harvard University, Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian, Universidad de Granada

Language: English

Topic: Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates

Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,750

Funders: National Science Foundation, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Institute for Theoretical Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics, Harvard University, Science and Technology Facilities Council