I am dealing with an experiment on atoms in the "Circular Rydberg State" (CRS) - see the picture. These are alkali atoms (a single electron of valence) highly excited, e.g. with the principal quantum number, n, very high, e.g. n = 50. The other quantum numbers are ℓ = n - 1 and m = ±ℓ .
In the experiment, the CRS atom is supposed to pass between two plates - see picture - and the plates are very close to one another. The atom is "fat", its diameter is big - see the picture - so, for avoiding the eventual collision with the plates, the atom would better fly with the torus lying in a plane parallel with the plates.
Here is my problem, how to lay the torus in a plane parallel with the plates, and I ask if my rationale is correct:
I thought to pass the atoms through a Stern-Gerlach device, and I thought that the emergent beam with m =- ℓ (m = ℓ) must have the angular momentum parallel (anti-parallel) with the magnetic field. If so, I think that the torus should lye in the plane perpendicular to the magnetic field. Arranging the plates perpendicular to the magnetic field, any one of the beams I choose would fly with the torus parallel with the plates.
Am I right?
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