Figure 1

(a) Part of the $1+1^{\prime }$ double resonance frequency spectrum of Rydberg states in NO excited via the ${\upsilon }^{\prime }=1$, $N^{\prime }=0$ level of the A ${}^2\Sigma ^{+}$ state. Combs mark the positions of the dominant $np(0)$ and $nf(2)$ series. A Gaussian centered at ${\overline{n}}_0=33$ ($\sigma =14{\mathrm{c}\mathrm{m}}^{-1}$) is superimposed on the spectrum, representing the optical pulse employed in our control experiments. (b) A plot of the accumulated phase difference $\varphi$ at time $t_{\mathrm{a}\mathrm{v}\mathrm{e}}$, calculated using Eq. (1). Inset: The time-dependent interference term of the Rydberg population at time $t_{\mathrm{a}\mathrm{v}\mathrm{e}}$, calculated using Eq. (2) for excitation around ${\overline{n}}_0=33$. The contribution from the $np(0)$ series is the solid (larger amplitude) line and that from the $nf(2)$ series is the dashed (smaller amplitude) line. It can be seen that the two components are phase mismatched around the time of the first recurrence.Reuse & Permissions

Figure 2

Experimental (a) and calculated (b) recurrence spectra of a wave packet with ${\overline{n}}_0=33$. The bottom spectrum is that of a single wave packet. The middle spectrum is that of a sequence of pulses separated by $t_{\mathrm{a}\mathrm{v}\mathrm{e}}$ with a suitable phase difference to leave the $N^{+}=0$ series only. The top spectrum is that of a sequence of pulses separated by $t_{\mathrm{a}\mathrm{v}\mathrm{e}}$ with a suitable phase difference to leave the $N^{+}=2$ series only. Note that all spectra, experimental and calculated, are plotted on the same vertical scale, normalized on the peak at $t=0$.Reuse & Permissions

Figure 3

Population distributions determined using Eq. (4). Positive peaks represent the final state distribution obtained when the second pulse is added at $t_2=5.041\mathrm{p}\mathrm{s}$ [corresponding to the middle trace in Fig. 2b]. Flipping the phase of the second wave packet yields the population distribution that is plotted on a negative scale.Reuse & Permissions