Modification of multipole transitions by twisted light

authored by: S. A.L. Schulz, S. Fritzsche, R. A. Müller, A. Surzhykov
Abstract: A theoretical analysis is presented for the excitation of single many-electron atoms and ions by twisted (or vortex) light. Special emphasis is put on excitations that can proceed via several electric and magnetic multipole channels. We argue that the relative strength of these multipoles is very sensitive to the topological charge and kinematic parameters of the incident light and can be strongly modified with respect to the plane-wave case. Most remarkably, the modification of multipole transitions by twisted radiation can be described by means of a geometrical factor. This factor is independent of the shell structure of a particular target atom and just reflects the properties of the light beam as well as the position of an atom with respect to the vortex axis. An analytical expression for the geometrical factor is derived for Bessel photons and for a realistic experimental situation in which the position of an atom is not well determined. To illustrate the use of the geometrical factor for the analysis of (future) measurements, detailed calculations are presented for the 3s3pP13→3s3pP11 excitation in neutral Mg.
External Organisation(s): National Metrology Institute of Germany (PTB)
Technische Universität Braunschweig
Helmholtz Institute Jena
Friedrich Schiller University Jena
Type: Article
Journal: Physical Review A
Volume: 100
ISSN: 2469-9926
Publication date: 23.10.2019
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.100.043416 (Access: Unknown)

BibTeX

@article{78062f71a17f43fe97ff5346801095ed,
title = "Modification of multipole transitions by twisted light",
abstract = "A theoretical analysis is presented for the excitation of single many-electron atoms and ions by twisted (or vortex) light. Special emphasis is put on excitations that can proceed via several electric and magnetic multipole channels. We argue that the relative strength of these multipoles is very sensitive to the topological charge and kinematic parameters of the incident light and can be strongly modified with respect to the plane-wave case. Most remarkably, the modification of multipole transitions by twisted radiation can be described by means of a geometrical factor. This factor is independent of the shell structure of a particular target atom and just reflects the properties of the light beam as well as the position of an atom with respect to the vortex axis. An analytical expression for the geometrical factor is derived for Bessel photons and for a realistic experimental situation in which the position of an atom is not well determined. To illustrate the use of the geometrical factor for the analysis of (future) measurements, detailed calculations are presented for the 3s3pP13→3s3pP11 excitation in neutral Mg.",
author = "Schulz, {S. A.L.} and S. Fritzsche and M{\"u}ller, {R. A.} and A. Surzhykov",
note = "Funding information: We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Braunschweig International Graduate School of Metrology B-IGSM and the DFG Research Training Group 1952 Metrology for Complex Nanosystems.",
year = "2019",
month = oct,
day = "23",
doi = "10.1103/PhysRevA.100.043416",
language = "English",
volume = "100",
journal = "Physical Review A",
issn = "2469-9926",
publisher = "American Physical Society",
number = "4",
}