Lagrange Equilibrium Points in Celestial Mechanics and Nonspreading Wave Packets for Strongly Driven Rydberg Electrons

1994/09/26 by Iwo Białynicki‐Birula, Maciej Kaliński, J. H. Eberly · 1 voice · 6 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Atomic and Molecular Physics #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies

paper · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.73.1777

openalex publication_date 1994/09/26 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/25

Abstract

We exhibit analytically and confirm numerically the existence of stable, though nonstationary, quantum states of electrons moving on circular orbits that are rapped in an effective potential well made of the Coulomb potential and the rotating electric field produced by a strong circularly polarized electromagnetic wave. These states are direct counterparts of the Trojans---two clusters of asteroids moving around the Sun in the vicinity of the stable Lagrange points in the Sun-Jupiter two-body system.

Cited by

• Demonstrating Dynamic Stability in Paul Traps: Exploring Rotating Saddles with Liquid Nitrogen Droplets
• Aharonov-Bohm oscillations in a hydrogen atom in a radiation field through electron self-interference
• Excitation of a Three-Dimensionally Localized Atomic Electron Wave Packet
• Spin - orbit pendulum: the microscopic Stern - Gerlach effect
• Spontaneous emission of nondispersive Rydberg wave packets
• Observation of Nonspreading Wave Packets in an Imaginary Potential

Discussions

• 🧪Came across a cool entry in Physical Review Letters from 1994, that demonstrates "Trojan wave packets" of electrons orbiting a nucleus in a circularly polarized EM field. doi.org/10.1103/Phys... [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]