Localizing high-lying Rydberg wave packets by orthogonally-polarized two-color laser pulses

Highly excited Rydberg atoms and molecules, in comparison with normal atoms and molecules, have unique properties and can be exploited in the studies of the quantum phenomena on human-sized level and the transition from the quantum to the classic world [1]. In a strong laser pulse, valence electrons of an atom or a molecule can be detached through tunnelling or barrier suppression ionization. After conclusion of the pulse, some of the released electrons may be recaptured by the ionic Coulomb potential and populate highly excited Rydberg states[2]. Recently, we have demonstrated the detection of such states with the electron-ion coincidence spectroscopy [3]In this submission, we report on the control of the formation of spatially localized high-lying Rydberg wave packets by waveform controlled orthogonally-polarized two-color (OTC) fields in argon atoms.