Absolute and ratio measurements of the polarizability of Na, K, and Rb with an atom interferometer

William F. Holmgren; Melissa C. Revelle; Vincent P.A. Lonij; Alexander D Cronin

doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.81.053607

Absolute and ratio measurements of the polarizability of Na, K, and Rb with an atom interferometer

William F. Holmgren, Melissa C. Revelle, Vincent P.A. Lonij, Alexander D Cronin

Hydrology and Atmospheric Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

75 Scopus citations

Abstract

We measured the ground-state electric-dipole polarizability of sodium, potassium, and rubidium using a Mach-Zehnder atom interferometer with an electric-field gradient. We find αNa=24.11(2)stat(18)sys×10 ^-24cm3, αK=43.06(14)(33), and αRb=47.24(12)(42). Since these measurements were all performed in the same apparatus and subject to the same systematic errors, we can present polarizability ratios with 0.3% uncertainty. We find αRb/αNa=1.959(5), αK/αNa=1.786(6), and αRb/αK=1.097(5). We combine our ratio measurements with the higher-precision measurement of sodium polarizability by Ekstrom [Phys. Rev. APLRAAN1050-294710.1103/PhysRevA.51.3883 51, 3883 (1995)] to find αK=43.06(21) and αRb=47.24(21).

Original language	English (US)
Article number	053607
Journal	Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
Volume	81
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.81.053607
State	Published - May 10 2010

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

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title = "Absolute and ratio measurements of the polarizability of Na, K, and Rb with an atom interferometer",

abstract = "We measured the ground-state electric-dipole polarizability of sodium, potassium, and rubidium using a Mach-Zehnder atom interferometer with an electric-field gradient. We find αNa=24.11(2)stat(18)sys×10 -24cm3, αK=43.06(14)(33), and αRb=47.24(12)(42). Since these measurements were all performed in the same apparatus and subject to the same systematic errors, we can present polarizability ratios with 0.3% uncertainty. We find αRb/αNa=1.959(5), αK/αNa=1.786(6), and αRb/αK=1.097(5). We combine our ratio measurements with the higher-precision measurement of sodium polarizability by Ekstrom [Phys. Rev. APLRAAN1050-294710.1103/PhysRevA.51.3883 51, 3883 (1995)] to find αK=43.06(21) and αRb=47.24(21).",

author = "Holmgren, {William F.} and Revelle, {Melissa C.} and Lonij, {Vincent P.A.} and Cronin, {Alexander D}",

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doi = "10.1103/PhysRevA.81.053607",

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T1 - Absolute and ratio measurements of the polarizability of Na, K, and Rb with an atom interferometer

AU - Holmgren, William F.

AU - Revelle, Melissa C.

AU - Lonij, Vincent P.A.

AU - Cronin, Alexander D

PY - 2010/5/10

Y1 - 2010/5/10

N2 - We measured the ground-state electric-dipole polarizability of sodium, potassium, and rubidium using a Mach-Zehnder atom interferometer with an electric-field gradient. We find αNa=24.11(2)stat(18)sys×10 -24cm3, αK=43.06(14)(33), and αRb=47.24(12)(42). Since these measurements were all performed in the same apparatus and subject to the same systematic errors, we can present polarizability ratios with 0.3% uncertainty. We find αRb/αNa=1.959(5), αK/αNa=1.786(6), and αRb/αK=1.097(5). We combine our ratio measurements with the higher-precision measurement of sodium polarizability by Ekstrom [Phys. Rev. APLRAAN1050-294710.1103/PhysRevA.51.3883 51, 3883 (1995)] to find αK=43.06(21) and αRb=47.24(21).

AB - We measured the ground-state electric-dipole polarizability of sodium, potassium, and rubidium using a Mach-Zehnder atom interferometer with an electric-field gradient. We find αNa=24.11(2)stat(18)sys×10 -24cm3, αK=43.06(14)(33), and αRb=47.24(12)(42). Since these measurements were all performed in the same apparatus and subject to the same systematic errors, we can present polarizability ratios with 0.3% uncertainty. We find αRb/αNa=1.959(5), αK/αNa=1.786(6), and αRb/αK=1.097(5). We combine our ratio measurements with the higher-precision measurement of sodium polarizability by Ekstrom [Phys. Rev. APLRAAN1050-294710.1103/PhysRevA.51.3883 51, 3883 (1995)] to find αK=43.06(21) and αRb=47.24(21).

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SN - 2469-9926

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Absolute and ratio measurements of the polarizability of Na, K, and Rb with an atom interferometer

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