Rydberg effective quantum number

L. Woste Prof. Neusser, you are able to select specific rotational states at very high specific Rydberg state quantum numbers n. So your orbiting electron becomes very slow, even slower than the molecular rotation. Do you see any chance to bring both into phase, causing stroboscopic effects ... 

Fig. 21.6 Calculated cross section o from a bound state of effective quantum number vb = 12.35 to an autoionizing Rydberg series with width T = O.llr-3 and quantum defect d2 = 0.15 so that the autoionizing states are found at v2 = 0.85(mod 1) (from ref. 6).

The convergence limits were obtained from the series data using the criteria that the quantum defect (n-n ) is a constant (.27) for the correct limit. To do this we determine the effective quantum number n of each observed Rydberg level using the relation... 

Fig. 5.7. The trend of effective quantum numbers for a Rydberg manifold of high angular momentum, showing the discontinuity in all the quantum numbers as a result of orbital collapse (after D.C. Griffin et al [208]).

The spectrum of an element can then be expressed by the system of w -values. In order to give a survey of the dependence of the spectrum on the atomic number, we give here the effective quantum numbers n of the lowest term of each series, for the arc spectra so far analysed, together with the decimal places of the absolute magnitude of the Rydberg correction taken as the limiting value for large values of n.1... 

The assignment of the continuum centred at 167 nm to a mainly intravalency Bi state implies the existence of a conjugate Bi Rydberg state, associated with the transition I61 -> 3sai. Two Independent experimental measurements have indicated the population of an additional electronic state at X 136.5 The first follows the identification of irregularities in the vibrational band structure superimposed on the second continuum (see Fig. 3.1.4) which led to the postulate of a bent Rydberg state at X 136 nm, with an effective quantum number (n - 5) = 1.96. This was readily associated with the electron promotion 1 -> 3sui, and subsequent members of the series could be identified at shorter... 

In chapter 2, we saw how the quantum defect is defined from a slight modification of the Rydberg formula for H. It is found experimentally to be nearly constant for different series members, especially for unperturbed series in atoms with a compact core. The first task of QDT is to explain this fact, and to extract from this empirical observation an appropriate wavefunction, consistent with an effective one-electron Schrodinger equation, such that the quantum defect would turn out to be be nearly constant as the principal quantum number n is changed. 

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