High-precision measurements of the $^{87}$Rb vector polarizability

ORAL

Abstract

We report progress on an experiment to measure the vector polarizability of $^{87}$Rb atoms in the $ F = 2 $ ground hyperfine state between the $D1$ and $D2$ spectral lines. The experiment uses a condensate interferometer to measure a tune-out wavelength, the light wavelength at which the ac electric polarizability of the atom equals zero. The location of the tune-out wavelength depends on the optical polarization of the light, and the vector polarizability characterizes this dependence. This can be compared to previous measurements by our group of tune-out wavelengths for the scalar polarizability alone. Measurements of the vector polarizability and tune-out wavelengths near multiple atomic states allows the identification of individual contributions to the polarizability from higher-lying states and from the core electrons. Accurate knowledge of these contributions would be useful as a theoretical benchmark and for improved analysis of atomic parity violation experiments.

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Authors

  • Adam Fallon

    Univ of Virginia

  • Jonathan Tan

    Duquesne University, Baker Hughes, Hampton University, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, Texas Christian University, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Austin Peay State University, Virginia Military Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University of Virginia, Washington University, National Institute for Materials Science, Japan, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan, Univ of Kentucky, Argonne National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Univ of Virginia, James Madison University, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, High Point University, Department of Chemistry, High Point University, Department of Physics, James Madison University, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, Institute of Renewable Energy and Environment Technology, University of Bolton, Bolton, UK, Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Ames Laboratory, US Dept. of Energy, Ames, IA, Lehigh University, University of Pardubice, Universite de Rennes, Jan Dlugosz University, Translume, NSCL/FRIB, Duke University, University of Massachusetts - Amherst, University of St. Andrews, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, University of Florida, Yale University, None, Georgia College & State Univ, Georgia College & State University, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Univ of Tennessee Space Inst, The University of Virginia, Chiang Mai University, DHA Suffa University, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Pardubice, Czech Republic, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN, United States, George Mason University, Northern Virginia Community College, Department of Physics, University of Virginia, Istanbul University, Georgia College and State University, University of Houston, Western Kentucky Univ, James Madison University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Pontifica Universidad Catolica de Chile, Trent University, Univ of Arizona, Ohio State University, NRAO, University of Virginia/NRAO

  • Charles Sackett

    UVA, Univ of Virginia