Experimental evidence for the influence of "scars" in hydrogen atoms driven by strong microwave fields

A preliminary analysis is reported of new experimental data for the microwave ionization of excited hydrogen atoms with each of the principal quantum numbers n(0) between 50 and 79. Data are shown for a linearly polarized field at each of the frequencies 26.43, 30.36, and 36.02 GHz produced in a resonant cavity. For each frequency certain n(0) values are more stable against ionization; this is called "local stability." The data demonstrate classical scaling of these cases of local stability including certain cases that have been explained classically and others that are nonclassical. The data strongly support a theoretical explanation for nonclassical local stability being due to the influence of "scarred" wave functions.