The ionized electron return phenomenon of Rydberg atom in crossed-fields

Abstract

Rydberg atom is highly excited with one valence electron being in a high quantum state, which is very far away from the nucleus. The energy level is similar to that of the hydrogen atom. Introducing externally perpendicular electric and magnetic fields breaks the rotation symmetry and the traditional view is that the ionized electron crosses from the bound into the unbound region and will never return. However, we find that when the field is strong enough, the electron does not move off to infinity and there is a certain possibility of return. Three new periodic orbits are found by the variational method and the physical significance of the phenomenon is also discussed.