Atomic, molecular, and optical physics Panel on Atomic, Molecular,and optics physics

Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics 1
Copyright 2
Preface 7
Acknowledgments 9
Contents 11
Summary 17
THE NATURE OF THE FIELD 17
EDUCATIONAL ROLE 17
CONTRIBUTIONS TO NATIONAL PROGRAMS 18
RECENT ADVANCES IN BASIC ATOMIC, MOLECULAR, AND OPTICAL SCIENCE 18
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES 19
PRIORITIES OF RESEARCH 20
RECOMMENDATIONS 20
SUPPORT FOR THE RESEARCH INITIATIVES 20
INSTRUMENTATION FOR THE PROGRAM OF RESEARCH INITIATIVES 21
THEORY 21
ACCESS TO LARGE COMPUTERS 21
SPECIAL FACILITIES 22
1 A Program of Research Initiatives 23
THE NATURE OF THE FIELD 23
ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT 24
INTRODUCTION TO THE RESEARCH INITIATIVES 25
INITIATIVE IN ATOMIC PHYSICS 26
Fundamental Tests and High-Precision Techniques 26
Many-Electron Dynamics 30
Transient States of Atomic Systems 32
INITIATIVE IN MOLECULAR PHYSICS 34
The Physics of Isolated Molecules 34
The Physics of Molecular Collisions 38
INITIATIVE IN OPTICAL PHYSICS 39
New Light Sources 40
Advanced Spectroscopy 42
Quantum Optics 44
2 Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics in the United States Today 45
DEMOGRAPHICS OF ATOMIC, MOLECULAR, AND OPTICAL PHYSICS 45
Size of the Field 45
Employment 46
Distribution of Effort 46
THE EDUCATIONAL ROLE OF ATOMIC, MOLECULAR, AND OPTICAL PHYSICS 46
SCIENTIFIC INTERFACES AND APPLICATIONS 47
THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF ATOMIC, MOLECULAR, AND OPTICAL PHYSICS 49
THE HEALTH OF THE FIELD IN THE UNITED STATES 51
3 Recommendations 53
BACKGROUND\u2014THE HISTORY OF SUPPORT 53
Comments 54
A PLAN OF ACTION 59
RECOMMENDATIONS 61
Base Support 61
Instrumentation 62
Theory 63
Access to Large Computers 63
Special Facilities 64
ACCELERATOR-BASED ATOMIC PHYSICS 64
ATOMIC, MOLECULAR, AND OPTICAL PHYSICS WITH SYNCHROTRON RADIATION 65
RELEVANCE OF ATOMIC, MOLECULAR, AND OPTICAL RESEARCH TO THE FUNDING AGENCIES 66
Department of Defense 66
Department of Energy 67
National Science Foundation 67
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 68
4 Atomic Physics 69
ELEMENTARY ATOMIC PHYSICS 69
Advances in Quantum Electrodynamics 70
Magnetic Moment of the Electron and Positron 71
Lamb Shift of Hydrogen 73
Muonium and Positronium 73
Muonic and Hadronic Atoms 74
Time-Reversal Symmetry 74
Neutral-Current Parity Violations in Atomic Physics 75
Foundations of Quantum Theory: Is Quantum Mechanics Complete? 76
Studies of Time and Space 77
Future Directions 78
ATOMIC STRUCTURE 79
Loosely Bound Atomic States 79
Atoms in Strong Fields 82
Double-Well Atomic Potentials 83
Collective Atomic States 83
Relativistic and Quantum Electrodynamic Effects in Atoms 84
ATOMIC DYNAMICS 86
Structure of the Electron Continuum 86
Dielectronic Recombination 89
Ultraslow Collisions 90
Collisions with Rydberg Atoms 91
Approximate Conservation Laws 92
Toward the Complete Scattering Experiment 93
Comparisons of Positron and Electron Scattering 93
ACCELERATOR-BASED ATOMIC PHYSICS 94
Atomic Coherence and Out-of-Round Atoms 95
Quantum Electrodynamics of Highly Charged Systems 95
Pair Production in Transient Superheavies 96
Inner-Shell Molecular Orbitals and Molecular Orbital X Rays 97
Charge Transfer 97
Slow-Recoil Ion Production 98
Tunable X Rays 99
ATOMIC PHYSICS REQUIRING LARGER FACILITIES 99
Accelerator-Based Atomic Physics 99
Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics with Synchrotron Radiation 102
5 Molecular Physics 104
THE NEW SPECTROSCOPY 104
New Views of Electronic Structure 105
Electronic-Structure Theory: Ab Initio Calculations 108
Hydrogen-Bonded Molecules 108
Vibrational Structure of Polyatomic Molecules 109
MOLECULAR PHOTOIONIZATION AND ELECTRON-MOLECULE SCATTERING 110
Molecular Photoionization 111
Molecular Autoionization Dynamics 111
Shape Resonances in Molecular Fields 112
Resonant Multiphoton Ionization 113
Electron-Molecule Collisions 114
MOLECULAR DYNAMICS 115
State-to-State Chemistry 116
Radiative Collisions 118
New Ways to Understand The Dynamics of Chemical Reactions 119
Variational Transition-State Theory 120
Quasi-classical Trajectory Calculations 121
Approximate Quantum-Scattering Calculations 121
Resonances in a Simple Reaction Complex 121
Bond Breaking And \ 122
Reactions at Very Low Temperatures 123
SOME NOVEL MOLECULAR SPECIES 123
Molecular Ions 124
Van Der Waals Molecules 125
6 Optical Physics 126
LASERS\u2014THE REVOLUTION CONTINUES 126
Excimers and Excimer Lasers 129
LASER SPECTROSCOPY 130
Ultraprecise Laser Spectroscopy 131
Ultrasensitive Spectroscopy 131
Doppler-Free Laser Spectroscopy 132
Laser Cooling 133
Coherent Optical Transients 133
Ultranarrow Optical Transitions 135
Coherent Raman Spectroscopy 135
QUANTUM OPTICS AND COHERENCE 136
Photon Antibunching 136
Optical Bistability 137
Squeezed States 138
Rydberg Atoms and Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics 139
FEMTOSECOND SPECTROSCOPY 140
7 Scientific Interfaces 142
ASTROPHYSICS 142
Atomic Processes 144
Rydberg Atoms 144
Interstellar Molecules 145
Astrophysical Chemistry 146
Cosmology 146
Space Physics 147
CONDENSED-MATTER PHYSICS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE 148
Light-Scattering Spectroscopy 148
Clusters 150
Ultranarrow Optical Transitions 152
Spin-Polarized Quantum Fluids 152
SURFACE SCIENCE 154
Molecular-Beam Surface Scattering 154
Metal Clusters 155
Studying Surfaces with Laser Light 157
The Role of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Data in Surface Science 158
PLASMA PHYSICS 159
ATMOSPHERIC PHYSICS 160
NUCLEAR PHYSICS 162
Optical Studies of the Nucleus 162
Polarized Nuclear Sources 165
Dynamics at the Atom-Nuclear Frontier 165
8 Applications of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics 167
PRECISION MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES 167
FUSION 171
Magnetic Confinement 173
Inertial Confinement 174
NATIONAL SECURITY 175
FIBER-OPTICS COMMUNICATIONS 178
MANUFACTURING WITH LASERS 180
MATERIALS PROCESSING 182
Laser-Induced Surface Chemistry 182
Ion Implantation 182
DATA-BASE SERVICES 183
MEDICAL PHYSICS 185
Laser Surgery 185
Magnetic-Resonance Whole-Body Imaging 187
Further Reading 191
Index 193