Paschen-Back effect and Rydberg-state diamagnetism in vapor-cell electromagnetically induced transparency

Abstract: We report on rubidium vapor-cell Rydberg electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in a 0.7~T magnetic field where all involved levels are in the hyperfine Paschen-Back regime, and the Rydberg state exhibits a strong diamagnetic interaction with the magnetic field. Signals from both $^{85}\mathrm{Rb}$ and $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ are present in the EIT spectra. This feature of isotope-mixed Rb cells allows us to measure the field strength to within a $\pm 0.12$\% relative uncertainty. The measured spectra are in excellent agreement with the results of a Monte Carlo calculation and indicate unexpectedly large Rydberg-level dephasing rates. Line shifts and broadenings due to small inhomogeneities of the magnetic field are included in the model.