Exploring novel frontiers of electronic structure with Rydberg atoms

Rydberg atoms are atoms in states of high principal quantum number n. We consider systems of alkali Rydberg atoms where the valence electron wavefunction of neighbouring atoms overlap such that a collective many-body electron system emerges. The typical distance where electron wavefunctions of neighbouring atoms overlap is 4 n² a0 (a0: Bohr radius) and thus typically several orders of magnitude larger than in ordinary materials. In this talk I will focus on two Rydberg atoms with overlapping electron clouds and discuss the lifetime and electronic properties of this system.