Atomic Physics Seminars

Ultracold plasmas provide us an opportunity to study exotic plasma regimes on a table-top laboratory scale. In particular, we can explore parameter spaces where strong coupling and electron magnetization effects play an important role like in some fusion and astrophysical systems. We have developed a new technique to measure electron-ion collision rates in ultracold plasmas using off-resonant RF heating of the electrons. By using the known variation in photoionization energy with photoionization laser wavelength and applying controlled sequences of electric fields, the amount of heating imparted can be calibrated and precisely measured. This allows the comparison of electron-ion collision rates as a function of plasma parameters such as electron temperature/degree of strong coupling and magnetization. A description of this technique and the experimental results obtained with it will be presented.