Rb Adsorbate-Induced Negative Electron Affinity on Quartz

Authors

J. A. Sedlacek, University of OklahomaFollow
Eunja Kim, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
S. T. Rittenhouse, Western Washington UniversityFollow
P. F. Weck, Sandia National LaboratoriesFollow
H. R. Sadeghpour, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for AstrophysicsFollow
J. P. Shaffer, University of OklahomaFollow

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

1-1-2017

Publication Title

Journal of Physics: Conference Series

Publisher

Institute of Physics Publishing

Volume

875

Issue

12

Abstract

We have investigated Rb adsorbates on the SiO2 (0001) surface. Using Rydberg atom electromagnetically induced transparency, we investigate the electric fields resulting from Rb adsorbed on the quartz surface, and measure the activation energy of the Rb adsorbates. We show that the adsorbed Rb induces a negative electron affinity (NEA) on the quartz surface. The NEA surface allows low energy electrons to bind to the surface and cancel the electric field from the Rb adsorbates. Our results are important for integrating Rydberg atoms into hybrid quantum systems and the fundamental study of atom-surface interactions, as well as applications for electrons bound to a surface.

Language

english

Repository Citation

Sedlacek, J. A., Kim, E., Rittenhouse, S. T., Weck, P. F., Sadeghpour, H. R., Shaffer, J. P. (2017). Rb Adsorbate-Induced Negative Electron Affinity on Quartz. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 875(12), Institute of Physics Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/875/12/112014