What is Stark effect: Definition and 23 Discussions

The Stark effect is the shifting and splitting of spectral lines of atoms and molecules due to the presence of an external electric field. It is the electric-field analogue of the Zeeman effect, where a spectral line is split into several components due to the presence of the magnetic field. Although initially coined for the static case, it is also used in the wider context to describe the effect of time-dependent electric fields. In particular, the Stark effect is responsible for the pressure broadening (Stark broadening) of spectral lines by charged particles in plasmas. For most spectral lines, the Stark effect is either linear (proportional to the applied electric field) or quadratic with a high accuracy.
The Stark effect can be observed both for emission and absorption lines. The latter is sometimes called the inverse Stark effect, but this term is no longer used in the modern literature.

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  1. K

    I Understanding the Effects of Parities on the Stark Hamiltonian

    Hello! If we have a 2 level system (say an atom) with energies ##0## and ##\Delta## and opposite parities, and we add an electric field, E, the hamiltonian would now look like ##H = H_0 +H_{Stark}## (where ##H_0## is the unperturbed Hamiltonian), which is equal to ##H=H_0-e\vec{r}\vec{E}##...
  2. B

    I Confused about the AC Stark effect

    Hello! Can someone explain to me in an intuitive way (or a nice mathematical demonstration) or point me towards some accessible papers about the AC Stark effect (Autler-Townes effect)? I am mainly confused by how can one start from a 2 level system (consider a 2 level system for simplicity) add...
  3. Clara Chung

    Qualitative question about the Stark effect

    For e ii) The answer is Why are there only 4 sublevels? We haven't learned about degenerate perturbation theory, the only thing mention in lecture is which I don't understand so I only memorize the good eigenfunctions for n=2. Could you explain why there are still only 4 sublevels for n=7 and 8?
  4. JulienB

    Stark effect: find ground state

    Homework Statement Hi everybody! I have a problem related to first-order perturbation theory, and I'm not sure I'm tackling the problem correctly. Here is the problem: Consider a hydrogen atom in an externally applied electric field ##\vec{F}##. Use first-order perturbation theory to find the...
  5. B

    Orthonormality and the Stark Effect

    Homework Statement A Hydrogen atom is in a homogeneous electric field. The field's interaction with the atom is described by the Hamiltonian ##\hat H = e E_0 r \cos \theta##. Calculate the energy shift due to the linear stark effect in the following state of Hydrogen. ##\Psi =...
  6. J

    A Stark effect - theory vs experiment?

    Stark effect (shifting and splitting spectral lines due to external electric field) is calculated in nearly all QM textbooks as application of perturbation theory (alongside Zeeman). Wikipedia article ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stark_effect ) has a nice figure with n-th level splitting into...
  7. T

    Curvature of electric field around center of a quadrupole

    Hello all. I am working on a research project involving the Stark effect and its application in molecular guides and came across a bit of math in a paper that I don't understand. In this paper http://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0310046 there is an equation in the introduction concerning the electric...
  8. Matt atkinson

    Quadratic Stark Effect: Field Strength Calc.

    Homework Statement A Stark effect experiment is performed on the rubidium D1 line ##(5p \ {}^2P_{1/2} → 5s \ {}^2S_{1/2})## at 780.023 nm. Given that the polarizabilities of the ##5p \ {}^2P_{1/2}## and ##5s \ {}^2S_{1/2}## levels are ##6.86 × 10^{−16}## and ##2.78 × 10^{−16} cm−1 m^2 V^{−2}##...
  9. Goddar

    Wigner-Eckart theorem in Stark effect

    Hi. I'm reviewing some past qualifying exams and stumbled on something i can't figure out, probably because I'm still confused about the Wigner-Eckart theorem.. So, the set-up is just degenerate perturbation theory for constant electric field along z on the n = 2 hydrogen states. That's a...
  10. U

    Quadratic Stark Effect - Perturbation Theory

    Homework Statement Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution With a parity operator, Px = -x implies x has odd parity while Px = x implies x has even parity. Things that puzzle me 1. Why is ##[H_0,P] = 0## and ##H_1P = -PH_1##? Is it because ##H_1 \propto z## so ##Pz = -z##? Then...
  11. L

    Stark effect, mixing state of 2s and 2p

    hi all, can anyone help me understanding what is the meaning of the mixing state of 2p and 2s? thanks in advance. when an electron in n=2 sate in a hydrogen atom, experience a external em field, then the degenerate states split into 3 classes, which are: 1/sqrt2( 210 + 200 ) with higher...
  12. R

    Understanding the quadratic Stark effect

    This is what I understand right now: The stark effect is when we perturb a system with hamiltonian H_0 by applying a constant electric field, so that H = H_0 - F D_z where F is the field, aligned in the z direction, and D_z is the z-component of the induced dipole. The first order...
  13. P

    Unraveling Weak Field Stark Effect in Hydrogen

    Homework Statement Considering the n = 2 states of hydrogen: In the absense of an external field, the four j = 1/2 states are degenerate. Using degenerate pertubation theory, I am supposed to show that for a very weak field the Stark effect shifts the energy levels by \mp \sqrt{3}a_0 e...
  14. A

    Observing the Stark Effect in the Lab: Visible to the Eye?

    has somebody carried out stark effect experiment in the lab? is the effect visible to the eye or is it necessary to keep long exposures of the CCD to observe the effect?
  15. P

    Stark effect and electric dipole moments

    One excersise of my current homework for experimental physics (Ba, 4th term) is giving me troubles, because I have no idea where to start. Excersise: Stark effect: Calculate the electric dipole moment for the interference of 2s and 2p (m=0) states (hydrogen). The wave functions are given...
  16. A

    Stark Effect Experiment: Observing Splittings with 600 Grooves/mm Spectrometer

    Hi, Is it possible to observe stark splittings with a 600 grooves/mm attached to a spectrometer.I carried out the experiment by placing the hydrogen tube in between the spark gap of the rhumkorff coil but was unable to see splittings.Wonder whether it was the lack of resolving power of the...
  17. C

    How Does an Electric Field Affect Energy Levels in a Quantum Well?

    Hi. Does anyone know how to perform perturbation theory for a finite well under the influence of an electric field? If not or also what other method is there to calculate the shift in subband energies under the influence of an E field in a quantum well? Thanks
  18. A

    Demonstrating the stark effect in the lab

    hi, i'm a physics undergraduate at a local university in sri lanka. currently I'm arrying out a research in observing the stark effect.the problem is that i have not been able to find anything about the experimental setup of demonstrating the stark effect on the internet...can anybody give...
  19. H

    Calculating the Stark Effect (Spectral line splitting)?

    Is the equation for calculating the Stark effect the same for every atom? I am trying to understand how to calculate the Stark effect for Oxygen but do not understand the formula. Can someone please explain and show me how to calculate the Stark effect? It would be greatly appreciated!
  20. L

    Exploring the Degeneracy and Effects of Stark and Zeeman in Atomic Systems

    in the zeeman effect, there are degeneracy levels due to the the magnetic quantum number which when placed in a magnetic field, the degeneracy is broken. is there a way to see the degeneracy of the angular momentum? since Energy is only effected by the principal quantum number, there should...
  21. N

    Understanding the AC Stark Effect: A Brief Description

    Can someone please give me a brief description of the AC Stark effect? What is it ?
  22. S

    Stark Effect using first order variation theory.

    EDIT: Sorry... I have to use perturbation theory. My mistake. Hey... I have a quick question. I have to calculate the approximate change in energy via variation theory when the 'error' Hamiltonian for the Stark effect is defined as: |\vec{E}|cos\theta\bullet eR If I'm not mistaken, the change...
  23. K

    Calculating Stark Effect for 3 States of Hydrogen

    Hi Here is my question, Consider stark effect for n=3 states of hydrogen there are nine degenerate states ?3lm(neglect spin),We turn on an electric field in Z direction. a)construct 9 x 9 matrix representing perturbing hamiltonian. b)find eigen values and their degeneracies. do reply me...
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