The dynamical properties of Rydberg hydrogen atom near a metal surface are presented by using the methods of phase space analysis and closed orbit theory. Transforming the coordinates of the Hamiltonian, we find that the phase space of the system is divided into vibrational and rotational region. Both the Poincaré surface of section and the closed orbit theory verify the same conclusion clearly. In this paper we choose the atomic principal quantum number as n = 20. The dynamical character of the exited hydrogen atom depends sensitively on the atom-surface distance d. When d is sufficiently large, the atom-surface potential can be expressed by the traditional van der Waals force and the system is integrable. When d becomes smaller, there exists a critical value dc. For d > dc, the system is near-integrable and the motion is regular. While chaotic motion appears for d < dc, and the system tends to be non-integrable. The trajectories become unstable and the electron might be captured onto the metal surface.
GE Meihua1, ZHANG Yanhui1, WANG Dehua2, DU Mengli3 & LIN Shenglu1 1. College of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China
