M. S. Safronova

Theory and applications of atomic and ionic polarizabilities

Atomic polarization phenomena impinge upon a number of areas and processes in physics. The dielectric constant and refractive index of any gas are examples of macroscopic properties that are largely determined by the dipole polarizability. When it comes to microscopic phenomena, the existence of alkaline-earth anions and the recently discovered ability of positrons to bind to many atoms are predominantly due to the polarization interaction. An imperfect knowledge of atomic polarizabilities is presently looming as the largest source of uncertainty in the new generation of optical frequency standards. Accurate polarizabilities for the group I and II atoms and ions of the periodic table have recently become available by a variety of techniques. These include refined many-body perturbation theory and coupled-cluster calculations sometimes combined with precise experimental data for selected transitions, microwave spectroscopy of Rydberg atoms and ions, refractive index measurements in microwave cavities, ab initio calculations of atomic structures using explicitly correlated wavefunctions, interferometry with atom beams and velocity changes of laser cooled atoms induced by an electric field. This review examines existing theoretical methods of determining atomic and ionic polarizabilities, and discusses their relevance to various applications with particular emphasis on cold-atom physics and the metrology of atomic frequency standards.

High-Precision Calculations of Dispersion Coefficients, Static Dipole Polarizabilities, and Atom-Wall Interaction Constants for Alkali-Metal Atoms

The van der Waals coefficients for the alkali-metal atoms from Na to Fr interacting in their ground states are calculated using relativistic ab initio methods. The accuracy of the calculations is estimated by also evaluating atomic static electric-dipole polarizabilities and coefficients for the interaction of the atoms with a perfectly conducting wall. The results are in excellent agreement with the latest data from studies of magnetic field induced Feshbach resonances in ultracold collisions of Na and of Rb atoms. For Cs we provide critically needed data for ultracold collision studies.

Relativistic many-body calculations of energy levels, hyperfine constants, electric-dipole matrix elements, and static polarizabilities for alkali-metal atoms

Removal energies and hyperfine constants of the lowest four

Blackbody-radiation shift in the Sr optical atomic clock

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Highly Charged Ions for Atomic Clocks, Quantum Information, and Search for α variation

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Relativistic many-body calculations of transition probabilities for the 2l12l2[LSJ]-2l33l4[L´S´J´] lines in Be-like ions

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Blackbody radiation shift, multipole polarizabilities, oscillator strengths, lifetimes, hyperfine constants, and excitation energies in Ca +

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Development of a configuration-interaction plus all-order method for atomic calculations

states in Na, K, Rb, and Cs are calculated; removal energies of the

Measurement of the 6s-7p transition probabilities in atomic cesium and a revised value for the weak charge QW

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