We investigate the Stark shift in Rydberg rubidium atoms through electromagnetically induced transparency for the measurement of direct current (dc) and 60 Hz alternating current (ac) voltages. This technique has direct application to the calibration of voltage measurement instrumentation. We present experimental results for different atomic states that allow for dc and ac voltage measurements ranging from 0 to 12 V. While the state-of-the-art method for realizing the volt, the Josephson voltage standard, is significantly more accurate, the Rydberg atom-based method presented here has the potential to be a calibration standard with more favorable size, weight, power, and cost. We discuss the steps necessary to develop the Rydberg atom-based voltage measurement as a complementary method for dissemination of the voltage scale directly to the end user and discuss sources of uncertainties for these types of experiments.
Radiative double electron capture (RDEC) involves the transfer of two electrons with the simultaneous emission of a single photon. This process, which can be viewed as the inverse of double photoionzation, has been studied for 2.11 MeV/u F 9+ and F 8+ ions striking gas targets of N2 and Ne. The existence of RDEC is conclusively shown for both targets and the results are compared with earlier O 8+ and F 9+ findings for thin-foil carbon and with theory. The data for the carbon target showed some evidence for the existence of RDEC but the interpretation was clouded by high-probability, unavoidable multiple collisions causing the exiting charge state to be increased.
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