Engineering Very-High-n Polarized Rydberg States Using Tailored Half-Cycle-Pulse Sequences

Abstract

We show that strongly polarized very-high-n (n~600) potassium Rydberg atoms can be produced by manipulating lower-n (n~350) polarized atoms using a tailored sequence of ultrashort half-cycle pulses (HCPs). The protocol for this involves first a weak HCP that generates transient phase-space localization whereupon a second large HCP of opposite polarity excites the electron to a broad distribution of highly elongated states. This distribution is then refocused by a short periodic train of HCPs using the properties of (un)stable manifolds near fixed points in phase space.