Rydberg hydrogen atom near a metallic surface: Stark regime and ionization dynamics

We investigate the classical dynamics of a hydrogen atom near a metallic surface in the presence of a uniform electric field. To describe the atom-surface interaction we use a simple electrostatic image model. Owing to the axial symmetry of the system, the z-component of the canonical angular moment...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review. A, Atomic, molecular, and optical physics Atomic, molecular, and optical physics, 2007-11, Vol.76 (5), Article 052903
Main Authors: Iñarrea, Manuel, Lanchares, Víctor, Palacián, Jesús F., Pascual, Ana Isabel, Salas, J. Pablo, Yanguas, Patricia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
ATOM-ATOM COLLISIONS
ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ATOMS
AXIAL SYMMETRY
BIFURCATION
COORDINATES
CYLINDRICAL CONFIGURATION
DEGREES OF FREEDOM
ELECTRIC FIELDS
EVOLUTION
HAMILTONIANS
HYDROGEN
INTERACTIONS
IONIZATION
ORBITS
PERIODICITY
PHASE SPACE
RYDBERG STATES
STARK EFFECT
SURFACES
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Summary:We investigate the classical dynamics of a hydrogen atom near a metallic surface in the presence of a uniform electric field. To describe the atom-surface interaction we use a simple electrostatic image model. Owing to the axial symmetry of the system, the z-component of the canonical angular momentum P{sub {phi}} is an integral and the electronic dynamics is modeled by a two degrees of freedom Hamiltonian in cylindrical coordinates. The structure and evolution of the phase space as a function of the electric field strength is explored extensively by means of numerical techniques of continuation of families of periodic orbits and Poincare surfaces of section. We find that, due to the presence of the electric field, the atom is strongly polarized through two consecutive pitchfork bifurcations that strongly change the phase space structure. Finally, by means of the phase space transition state theory and the classical spectral theorem, the ionization dynamics of the atom is studied.
ISSN:1050-2947
1094-1622
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevA.76.052903