= Rydberg atom
{c}
{title2=$n\gg1$}
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A <Rydberg atom> has an <electron> excited to a large <principal quantum number> $n$. In a hydrogen-like model, the binding <energy> scales as $1/n^2$ and the orbital size as $n^2$. The outer <electron> is therefore weakly bound and its motion extends far beyond the compact core.
These properties make <Rydberg atoms> sensitive to applied <electric fields> and useful for studying controllable interactions such as <Rydberg blockade>. A field ramp can ionize different excited states at different thresholds, enabling <state-selective field ionization>. Real multi-electron atoms depart from the simple hydrogen-like spectrum, especially when the outer <electron> penetrates the core.
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