Control of angular momentum evolution in Stark wave packets

Abstract

Using techniques of ultrafast coherent control, we propose a method to produce high-purity high-$\mathcal{l}$ (angular momentum) states in Rydberg Stark wave packets. Two time-delayed phase-locked laser pulses excite the atom from a low-lying ``launch state'' into a low-$\mathcal{l}$ Rydberg wave packet, in the presence of a static electric field. By choosing the time delays between the pulses, and the static electric field, we find that a high-$\mathcal{l}$ state with high purity can be created at the target time.