Double photon excitation of high-rydberg atoms as a long-lived submillimeter detector

US4600840A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventor

• Ara Chutjian · La Cañada Flintridge, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 21, 1985
• Grant date: Jul 15, 1986
• Expiry date: Feb 21, 2005

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01J5/36
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting submillimeter or IR radiation is disclosed. A rare gas, such as xenon, is supplied at its ground state via a pressurized cylinder and an adjustable leak valve into a cryogenically-cooled detection area. The ground state of xenon is double-photon excited to a particularized level of the Rydberg series by a resonance lamp and a laser. The doubly-excited gas is then further excited by the radiation to be measured. A field ionization and an ion measurement indicative of the radiation intensity is achieved.