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Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 253003 (2006) [4 pages]

Navigating Localized Wave Packets in Phase Space

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W. Zhao1, J. J. Mestayer1, J. C. Lancaster1, F. B. Dunning1, C. O. Reinhold2,3, S. Yoshida4, and J. Burgdörfer4,3
1Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Rice Quantum Institute, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005-1892, USA
2Physics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6372, USA
3Department of Physics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-1200, USA
4Institute for Theoretical Physics, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria

Received 29 June 2006; published 20 December 2006

The ability to localize and to steer Rydberg wave packets in phase space using tailored sequences of half-cycle pulses is demonstrated. Classical phase-space portraits are used to explain the method and to illustrate the level of control that can be achieved. This is confirmed experimentally by positioning a phase-space-localized wave packet at the center of a stable island or navigating it around its periphery. This work provides a valuable starting point for further engineering of electronic wave functions.

© 2006 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.253003
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.253003
PACS:
32.80.Rm, 32.60.+i, 32.80.Qk
 
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