INTERFERENCE STABILIZATION OF RYDBERG ATOMS - NUMERICAL-CALCULATIONS AND PHYSICAL MODELS

Interference stabilization of atoms is investigated numerically. Raman -type transitions to Rydberg states with higher values of the electron orbital momentum l are taken into account. These transitions are show n to change qualitatively theoretical predictions concerning the depen dence of the time of ionization t(i) on the light-field-strength ampli tude epsilon(o): if the weak-field time of ionization, as usual, is a falling function of epsilon(o), in a strong-field region the function t(i)(epsilon(o)) is predicted to be more or less constant and of the o rder of the classical Kepler period t(K) in a rather large interval of epsilon(o), in contrast with the earlier prediction according to whic h, in a strong field, t(i)(epsilon(o)) was assumed to be a rather fast growing function. The results derived are shown to be in a rather goo d agreement with the existing experiments. Alternative theoretical mod els are discussed.