Population-resolved measurement of an avoided crossing of light-dressed states
Phys. Rev. A 112, 053716 – Published 17 November, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/y8j4-lsbr
Abstract
A two-level system coupled by a coherent field is a ubiquitous model in atomic and molecular physics. While the resulting avoided crossing of light-dressed states has been extensively probed spectroscopically, such measurements typically reveal only the eigenenergies of the Hamiltonian. Here we present a mapping that also resolves the state populations, thus providing direct access to the amplitude coefficients of the eigenvectors. We demonstrate this in Rydberg states of cold rubidium atoms, combining population transfer spectroscopy with selective field ionization to map both the eigenvalues and the eigenvector amplitude coefficients of the coupled two-level system.
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
- Atomic & molecular processes in external fields
- Atomic spectra
- Electronic structure of atoms & molecules
- Electronic transitions
- Light-matter interaction
- Quantum description of light-matter interaction
- Quantum optics
- Rydberg gases
- Atomic ensemble
- Atomic gases
- Atoms
- Diode lasers
- Solid state lasers
- Trapped atoms
- Tunable lasers
- Electric moment
- Atom & ion cooling
- Atom & ion trapping & guiding
- Cooling & trapping
- Electron dipole spin resonance
- Electron spin resonance
- Optical pumping
- Optical spectroscopy
- RF, microwave, & terahertz sources
- Rotating wave approximation
- Two-level models
