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Physics Physics Atomic Physics

physics.atom-ph Watch Atomic Physics

Tuesday 8 September

Atomic Physics

Simultaneous sub-Doppler laser cooling and optical trapping of bosonic $^{39}$K-$^{133}$Cs and $^{41}$K-$^{133}$Cs mixtures

Mateusz Bocheński, Jakub Dobosz, Koray Dinçer et al. (+2 more)

We report simultaneous sub-Doppler cooling and optical dipole trapping of $^{39}$K-Cs and $^{41}$K-Cs mixtures. Both mixtures are cooled to temperatures $\sim10$ $\mathrm{\mu}$K, achieving performance comparable to that obtained with each species individually. To the best of our knowledge, this constitutes the first realization of a laser-cooled and optically trapped $^{41}$K-Cs mixture. For the $^{39}$K-Cs mixture, we additionally implement parallel spin-resolved Feshbach spectroscopy enabled by Stern-Gerlach separation. For potassium isotopes, we implement sub-Doppler cooling with $D_1$-line gray molasses, while for cesium the entire cooling sequence is implemented using $D_2$ transitions. We spin-polarize the atoms and confine Bose-Bose mixtures in a 1064 nm optical dipole trap. Using the resulting $^{39}$K-Cs samples, we observe 14 heteronuclear Feshbach loss features. Five agree with resonances reported previously, while nine have, to the best of our knowledge, not been observed experimentally before, including $p$-wave features and resonances in additional spin channels. The shorter lifetime of the $^{41}$K-Cs mixture in the optical dipole trap currently hinders systematic Feshbach spectroscopy, which we therefore do not pursue in this work. To characterize this limitation quantitatively, we study the decay dynamics of $^{39}$K-Cs and $^{41}$K-Cs mixtures under comparable temperature and density conditions, revealing a substantially stronger nonexponential loss in the $^{41}$K-Cs mixture. The demonstrated preparation of ultracold $^{41}$K-Cs mixtures provides a starting point for Feshbach-resonance and photoassociation spectroscopy of this previously unexplored isotopologue. Such measurements are essential for identifying suitable pathways for magnetoassociation and coherent optical transfer, and ultimately for the production of ultracold ground-state $^{41}$KCs molecules.
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All authors Mateusz Bocheński, Jakub Dobosz, Koray Dinçer, Paweł Arciszewski, Mariusz Semczuk

Atomic Physics

Hyperfine-driven polarization effects in elastic muon scattering by atomic nuclei

Ivan A. Moiseev, Daria M. Vasileva, Konstantin N. Lyashchenko et al. (+3 more)

We present a theoretical study of polarization dynamics in the elastic scattering of muons and antimuons by high-magnetic-moment atomic nuclei, using ${}_{83}^{209}$Bi as a benchmark. The analysis tracks the evolution of (anti)muon polarization and its transfer to the nucleus, emphasizing nuclear-structure corrections. These corrections significantly alter both the differential cross sections and the polarization observables. Our results demonstrate that measuring scattered muon polarization serves as a sensitive probe for nuclear charge radii and magnetic dipole moments.
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All authors Ivan A. Moiseev, Daria M. Vasileva, Konstantin N. Lyashchenko, Igor A. Zhosan, Deyang Yu, Oleg Yu. Andreev

Atomic Physics · Cross-listed from hep-ph

Backward Compton scattering with three vortex particles

Yi Liao, Zhaolong Teng and Hao-Lin Wang

We investigate backward Compton scattering in which an incident vortex (vx) photon collides head-on with a plane-wave (pw) electron and both final-state particles are projected onto vortex states, $\gamma_{\rm vx}+e^-_{\rm pw}\to\gamma_{\rm vx}+e^-_{\rm vx}$. We derive analytically the scattering amplitude and differential cross sections in the energy and cone angle of either final particle. Rotational symmetry implies a selection rule associated with the conservation of the total angular momentum along the collision axis. A Bessel-Gaussian wave packet is adopted for the incident photon to provide a physical normalization and regularize the boundary singularities of ideal Bessel states. We present numerical results for a $10~{\rm MeV}$ electron colliding with a vortex photon of central energy $1~{\rm MeV}$ or $10~{\rm keV}$. The final-photon distributions exhibit strong energy–angle correlations, topological-charge-dependent interference fringes, and systematic shifts of their dominant peaks, allowing different topological charge sectors to be enhanced through angular or energy post-selection. For a longitudinally polarized incident electron, the dominant channels favor final photons of matching helicity. For the $1~{\rm MeV}$ photon benchmark, the final electron can likewise be produced as a MeV-scale vortex state with a sizable cone angle and a large angular-momentum projection. These results demonstrate that triple-vortex backward Compton scattering offers a potential means of generating and controlling high-energy vortex photons and electrons.
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Atomic Physics · Cross-listed from physics.optics

Harmonics of femtosecond and continuous-wave radiation for precision spectroscopy: generation efficiency and spectral line shape

Nikita Zhadnov, Olga Khronusova, Alexey Russkikh et al. (+2 more)

Precision spectroscopy in the UV and VUV ranges, including spectroscopy of the thorium-229 nuclear transition (148.4 nm), requires narrow-band sources obtained by frequency multiplication of stabilized lasers. Upon harmonic generation, the radiation intensity drops and the phase noise grows. In this work, both factors are analyzed for two types of primary sources: a continuous-wave single-frequency laser and a femtosecond optical frequency comb. It is shown that in the weak-conversion regime for equal average input powers, the power of the central mode in the spectrum of the Kth harmonic of femtosecond radiation matches the harmonic power of continuous-wave radiation for K=2 and noticeably exceeds it for K>2. Within the first-order dispersion approximation, group-velocity mismatch reduces the total conversion efficiency without affecting the power of the exactly phase-matched central mode. The transformation of the phase noise of an ultrastable laser upon harmonic generation leads to two effects that depend on K: the harmonic linewidth grows linearly, whereas the power fraction in the carrier decreases as a Gaussian function and is determined by the high-frequency noise of the stabilization loop (the servo bumps). Measurements of the phase-noise spectra of a laser stabilized to a Fabry-Perot cavity show that for a typical rms phase excursion of ~100 mrad the carrier loses about half of its power already at the eighth harmonic, while for a non-optimal stabilization-loop gain carrier collapse occurs at the second-third harmonic.
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All authors Nikita Zhadnov, Olga Khronusova, Alexey Russkikh, Nikolay Kolachevsky, Anatoly Masalov

Atomic Physics

Nonlinear dynamics in an artificial feedback spin maser II: dependence on feedback configurations and time crystal effects

Lan Wu, Qingchang Li, Weiyu Wang et al. (+2 more)

Artificial feedback spin masers exhibit rich nonlinear dynamics, yet a systematic framework for understanding and controlling their behaviors remains elusive. In this paper, we consider the polarity and geometric configuration of the feedback field as important control parameters for studying the nonlinear dynamics of spin masers. By cooperatively tuning the strength and phase delay of feedback field, we investigate the spin dynamics at various configurations of the feedback field. Periodic, quasiperiodic and chaotic spin oscillations are uncovered. Specifically, a unique spin oscillation mode akin to the time crystal effects emerges within a certain parameter regime. This work presents a different viewpoint understanding the nonlinear dynamics of spin masers including the time crystal.
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All authors Lan Wu, Qingchang Li, Weiyu Wang, Qianjin Ma, Guobin Liu

Atomic Physics

Ultralow Frequency Magnetic Comb Using Pulse Modulated Spin Maser

Weiyu Wang, Qingchang Li, Erwei Li et al. (+4 more)

Frequency combs are widely used in fundamental physics and practical applications at various areas. Here we report the realization of an ultralow frequency magnetic comb using a pulse modulated spin maser in the Rb-Xe hybrid gaseous spin system. The magnetic frequency comb has a spectral distribution depending mainly on the pulse duration, the strength and phase shift of the feedback field. A simple theoretical model is given in terms of the spin echo chain and agrees well with the experimental results. The magnetic frequency comb works in an ultralow frequency range and reaches a frequency resolution down to tens of nanohertz.
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All authors Weiyu Wang, Qingchang Li, Erwei Li, Lan Wu, Qianjin Ma, Shougang Zhang, Guobin Liu

Atomic Physics

Nuclear slowing-down factors in alkali-metal vapors

Vasiliki Koutrouli, Georgios Vasilakis and Kostas Mouloudakis

Nuclear slowing-down factors account for the sharing of angular momentum between the electron and the nucleus in the effective Bloch description of alkali-metal spin dynamics in the spin-exchange-relaxation-free (SERF) regime. For collinear optical pumping and magnetic field, we find that longitudinal and transverse spin dynamics are characterized by different polarization-dependent slowing-down factors. Transverse dynamics are governed by the conventional factor $q(p)$, with $p$ the electron spin polarization, whereas longitudinal relaxation is governed by $q(p)+p\,dq(p)/dp$. The two factors coincide at zero polarization but differ substantially at high polarization, where the single-factor description overestimates the underlying pumping and relaxation rates inferred from longitudinal transients by factors approaching two to four, depending on the nuclear spin. We further derive closed-form expressions, valid at arbitrary polarization, for the residual spin-exchange relaxation of the transverse spin components at finite magnetic field along the pumping axis. This contribution is quadratic in the magnetic field and can become comparable to the zero-field linewidth at fields well within the SERF regime. The results are obtained by perturbation theory on the density-matrix dynamics linearized around the stationary state and are verified by numerical solutions of the microscopic density-matrix equation. These findings refine the effective Bloch description of alkali-metal spin dynamics and are directly relevant to atomic magnetometers and alkali-metal–noble-gas comagnetometers, including those used in precision searches for physics beyond the Standard Model.
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Atomic Physics

A Portable Dual-Color Two-Photon Rubidium Optical Frequency Standard

Sarah K. Scholten, Emily Ahern, Clayton Locke et al. (+8 more)

Portable atomic clocks are essential in a wide variety of applications, most notably in the operation of global navigation satellite systems. Existing portable atomic clocks utilizing microwave-based interrogation schemes are now routinely eclipsed by the next generation of atomic frequency standards based on optical interrogation. While optical frequency standards demonstrate greatly improved frequency stability, they have only recently reached a level of technical maturity required to demonstrate this improved performance outside of well curated laboratory environments. Here, we demonstrate a fully autonomous and portable optical frequency standard based on an efficient dual-color excitation of the $5S_{1/2}\rightarrow5D_{5/2}$ two-photon transition in $^{87}$Rb. The standard utilizes a combination of robust, highly developed commercial-off-the-shelf telecommunications technologies and a fully integrated portable optical frequency comb, providing the optical and microwave outputs vital for interfacing with existing electronic systems and infrastructure. The system demonstrates a fractional frequency stability of $1.9\times10^{-13}$ at 1s of integration time, reaching $3.5\times10^{-15}$ at 8000s of integration time without the need for drift removal. This portable demonstrator unit marks a significant achievement in the development of Rb optical atomic frequency standards, and for the deployment of optical atomic frequency standards outside of the laboratory.
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All authors Sarah K. Scholten, Emily Ahern, Clayton Locke, Christopher J. Billington, Nicolas Bourbeau Hébert, Montana Nelligan, Ashby P. Hilton, Rachel F. Offer, Elizaveta Klantsataya, Christopher Perrella, Andre N. Luiten

Monday 7 September

Atomic Physics · Cross-listed from astro-ph.SR

R-matrix calculations for opacities: V. Temperature-density dependence of photoabsorption cross sections and opacity spectra of oxygen ions O VI and O VII

Divya Chari, Sultana N Nahar and Anil K Pradhan

We present R-matrix photoabsorption cross sections for Li-like oxygen O VI and He-like oxygen O VII and examine how plasma broadening modifies them as a function of temperature and density in astrophysical and laboratory high-energy-density (HED) plasma sources. All atomic systems are subject to plasma environment effects, and the propagation of radiation depends on photoabsorption via bound-bound transitions as spectral lines and autoionizing resonances in bound-free photoionization cross sections. We identify and illustrate low and high temperature-density limits for the onset of plasma broadening in O VI and O VII, demonstrating general features and methodology applicable across a broad range of plasma conditions. Calculations are presented along two representative isotherms corresponding to the solar base of convection zone (BCZ) at $T = 1 \times 10^6$ and $2 \times 10^6$ K, and electron densities $N_e = 10^{18}$-$10^{23}$ cm$^{-3}$. Autoionizing resonances progressively dissolve into the continuum with increasing electron density at each isotherm, flattening and merging into the background cross sections at BCZ conditions, at much lower densities than bound-bound line features require. Illustrative examples are given for energy regions containing Rydberg resonance series, including large photoexcitation-of-core (PEC) resonances. Comparisons with previous Opacity Project results reveal that (i) the R-matrix photoionization cross sections cover a much higher energy range where a significantly richer spectrum of autoionizing resonances are present that are not included in OP, and (ii) the corresponding monochromatic opacities show significant quantitative differences. This work is generally applicable to modeling HED plasmas in astrophysics, and to the analysis of transmission spectra in laboratory experiments on inertial confinement fusion (ICF) devices.
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Atomic Physics · Cross-listed from physics.chem-ph

Strong Evidence for Formation of Hydroxyl Anion via 2-Particle-1-Hole Feshbach Resonances

Siddique Ali, Meenakshi Rana, Soumya Ghosh et al. (+3 more)

This study investigates the formation of the hydroxyl anion (OH$^-$) via dissociative electron attachment in 2-propanol as a model system for studying both organic and inorganic molecules. Using high-level CAP-EOM-EA-CCSD calculations and advanced ToF mass spectrometry, we demonstrate that OH$^-$ formation at electron energies between 7 and 11 eV is dominated by two-particle-one-hole (2p-1h) Feshbach resonances. The potential-energy curves reveal a dense manifold of anionic states coupled through numerous avoided crossings, facilitating nonadiabatic population transfer during C-OH bond dissociation. Survival-probability analysis identifies a subset of six long-lived resonances that persist long enough to drive fragmentation, with states 25 and 28 acting as primary drivers by funneling the attached electron into the localized $\sigma^*(\mathrm{C{-}OH})$ antibonding orbital. These theoretical predictions are confirmed by experimental observations of a prominent OH$^-$ yield peaking at 8.6 eV, supporting a site-specific fragmentation mechanism that generalizes to the broader class of molecules.
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All authors Siddique Ali, Meenakshi Rana, Soumya Ghosh, Narayan Kundu, Aryya Ghosh, Dhananjay Nandi

Atomic Physics

Magnetic characterization of electronic components for portable atomic sensors using a zero-field optically pumped magnetometry platform

Hyeonjae Kim, Sangkyung Lee, Sin Hyuk Yim et al. (+2 more)

We present a zero-field optically pumped magnetometry platform for magnetic characterization of a photodetector (PD) board and a resistance temperature detector (RTD) used in a portable atomic magnetometer. For each component, the static magnetic field along the measurement axis is determined from the shift in the center of the dispersive response, while response distortion caused by off-axis magnetic-field components is assessed from the absorptive admixture. Magnetic-field noise is evaluated based on the quadrature difference in the amplitude spectral density (ASD). The platform achieved a -3 dB bandwidth of 71.5 Hz and a median ASD of 57.6 $\mathrm{fT}/\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$ over 20-70 Hz. For the unpowered PD board, static magnetic fields of approximately 8 nT in magnitude and opposite signs were measured in the front- and back-facing orientations. The back-facing orientation also exhibited a degraded dispersive response consistent with magnetic-field inhomogeneity. The magnetic-noise contributions associated with the PD board were estimated at 36.0 and 63.2 $\mathrm{fT}/\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$ in the front- and back-facing orientations, respectively. By contrast, operation of the RTD readout generated a static magnetic field of -0.6 nT, with no measurable response degradation or additional magnetic-field noise. These results provide guidance for the design and placement of electronic components in portable atomic magnetometers targeting sensitivities below 0.1 $\mathrm{pT}/\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$.
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All authors Hyeonjae Kim, Sangkyung Lee, Sin Hyuk Yim, Taek Jeong, Younghoon Lim

Sunday 6 September

Atomic Physics

Observation of the liquid-gas transition in trapped ions

Eliana Ruth Wallach, Yohay Halfon, Yosef Alkoby et al. (+4 more)

Precision metrology, quantum information, and quantum-controlled chemistry studies all have many implementations in trapped ion systems that require a precise understanding of the motional dynamics of ions. Between the well-studied Coulomb-crystal and gaseous regimes lies the intermediate liquid-like regime whose properties and boundaries have largely eluded experimental investigation. Here, we track the entire liquid-to-gas transition process by leveraging direct velocity measurements using our newly developed ion-trap with integrated velocity map imaging. We demonstrate that the colder the ensemble, the more viscous the ion motion becomes until radial localization emerges, which marks the onset of the liquid regime at a temperature warmer than commonly assigned. At even hotter temperatures, we observe an abrupt change in the heating rate power-law, which indicates the maximum density threshold. The enhanced sensitivity of direct velocity measurements reveals the full transition process from a fluid with short-range order to a weakly-interacting gas.
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All authors Eliana Ruth Wallach, Yohay Halfon, Yosef Alkoby, Yair Rajmiel, Nevo Werner-Reiss, Ilan Kleinman, Yuval Shagam

Atomic Physics

Roadmap on Quantum Sensors for Vacuum Metrology

D.S. Barker, J.L. Booth, S.P. Eckel et al. (+7 more)

We describe how laser-cooled and trapped alkali-metal atoms have been used as pressure sensors in the high- and ultra-high-vacuum regimes operating with relative uncertainties of just over a percent at pressures from a few nPa and up to a few tens of $\mu$Pa. These sensors can serve as primary standards of pressure as the determination of pressure requires only knowledge of collision cross sections between atoms and molecules, eliminating the need for calibration with other devices. The collision cross sections can be measured independently or computed with rigorous quantum methods at percent relative accuracies. We argue that this technology has advanced sufficiently to provide an alternative to the existing, expensive pressure standard in the ultra-high vacuum regime, the orifice flow standard. Experiments with trapped atoms can be used to calibrate cheaper pressure sensors (such as devices based on ionization gauges). However, the technology has not yet matured enough to be of use in other research fields because of the complexity and cost of the experiments. We propose a roadmap for this new pressure standard for vacuum metrology.
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All authors D.S. Barker, J.L. Booth, S.P. Eckel, J. Grosse, K. Jousten, J. Kłos, R.V. Krems, K.W. Madison, T. Rubin, E. Tiesinga

Atomic Physics

Floquet-sideband-enhanced shortwave electrometry with Rydberg atoms

Jiaqi Yuan, Yunlong Xue, Yongjie Cheng et al. (+7 more)

Rydberg atomic electric-field sensors, under the framework of optical excitation and readout, can overcome the size-to-wavelength constraint imposed by the Chu limit. However, their sensitivity for decametric-wavelength shortwave electric fields is substantially lower than that for microwave ones, stemming from the off-resonant nature of low-frequency signals with Rydberg transitions. Here, we demonstrate a high-sensitivity heterodyne shortwave sensor based on microwave-dressed Rydberg atoms, leveraging precisely modulated Floquet sidebands. Around local- and microwave-field-engineered Floquet sidebands, the steep response gradient, arising from the enhanced atom-shortwave interaction through additionally created coherent channels, induces pronounced amplification of the heterodyne intermediate-frequency signal. As a result, compared to the same atomic heterodyne setup without microwave modulation, such Floquet-sideband-enhanced shortwave measurement boosts the sensitivity by four orders of magnitude, yielding a sensitivity of -122.7 dBm/Hz for shortwave at 30 MHz. This work offers a potential route to high-sensitive portable shortwave receivers in radio astronomy, radar and long-distance communications.
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All authors Jiaqi Yuan, Yunlong Xue, Yongjie Cheng, Ruidong He, Jiteng Sheng, Yanpeng Zhang, Zhengyang Bai, Yu-Qiang Ma, Min Xiao, Zhaoyang Zhang

Atomic Physics · Cross-listed from quant-ph

Trapped Ion Quantum Networking and Telecommunications Coexisting on One Fiber

Denton Wu, Mingzhe Han, Zehao Wang et al. (+5 more)

Research into long-distance quantum memory-based networking to date has exclusively used dark fibers. This avoids the detector background from telecommunications (telecom) traffic, but as a result excludes many fibers deployed in the field. If memory-photon entanglement and telecom signals coexist on one fiber, the entire classical fiber infrastructure becomes available for quantum links. We present the first experimental demonstration of such coexistence. Ion-photon entanglement using 1092 nm photons emitted by a Strontium-88 ion is distributed over a deployed 2.8 km fiber loop which carries Ethernet and 5G traffic. All classical control signals required to coordinate the quantum transmitter and receiver systems co-propagate on the same fiber. These include fiber sensing for polarization stabilization. Our results demonstrate that memory-based quantum networks can be realized on active classical network infrastructure.
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All authors Denton Wu, Mingzhe Han, Zehao Wang, Ana Luiza Ferrari, Mika A. Zalewski, Yuanheng Xie, Tingjun Chen, Norbert M. Linke

Saturday 5 September

Atomic Physics

Opacity predictions in plasmas under stellar conditions using deep learning

Djamel Benredjem and Jean-Christophe Pain

The aim of this work is to predict the opacity of plasmas under stellar conditions. We focus on iron and nickel, as these elements have been extensively investigated both theoretically and experimentally. In certain regimes, notably under non-local thermodynamic equilibrium, calculating the spectral opacity can be computationally demanding. To mitigate this difficulty, we employ deep learning models to predict accurate opacities while achieving a substantial reduction in computational cost. Specifically, we develop and train a hybrid model that combines a convolutional neural network with a multilayer perceptron. The proposed approach provides both the spectral opacity over the 0–10,000 eV energy range, and the corresponding mean opacities for large sets of temperatures and mass densities, in close agreement with standard computational methods. The agreement is very satisfactory, except in the L- and M-shell energy ranges for nickel at high temperatures, where a very large number of emerging transitions leads to substantial discrepancies.
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Atomic Physics

Floquet Interpretation of Avoided Crossings in AC Stark-Shifted Rydberg-EIT Spectra

Rajavardhan Talashila, Nikunjkumar Prajapati, Noah Schlossberger et al. (+1 more)

We present a combined experimental and Floquet-theoretical study of avoided crossings in the AC Stark-shifted electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) spectra of Rydberg atoms. Observed avoided-crossing structures cannot be fully explained by conventional AC Stark maps alone, which provide the energy shifts but do not reveal the underlying state composition and coupling pathways. Using the Shirley method, we analyze the Floquet eigenstates to establish a direct connection between the measured spectra and the underlying dressed-state dynamics. By tracking the evolution of state mixing, bare-state composition, and dominant higher-order Floquet coupling pathways, we reveal the physical mechanisms responsible for the formation of avoided crossings across different principal quantum numbers and RF frequencies. Our results demonstrate that Floquet-eigenstate analysis provides a powerful framework for interpreting complex AC Stark-shifted Rydberg-EIT spectra and the underlying higher-order Floquet coupling interactions.
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All authors Rajavardhan Talashila, Nikunjkumar Prajapati, Noah Schlossberger, Christopher L. Holloway

Friday 4 September

Atomic Physics · Cross-listed from hep-th

Matrix Holography on an Optical Lattice

Robin Löwenberg and Julian Sonner

We propose an analog quantum-simulation protocol based on a lattice of atomic ensembles and time-averaged Floquet dynamics to construct the four-body potentials that typically appear in bosonic BFSS-like matrix quantum mechanics. In contrast to gate-based digital implementations requiring deep circuits, our approach generates the target model through a fixed set of control stages per Floquet cycle, keeping the number of consecutive unitaries constant with respect to the matrix size $N$. The principal scaling cost in our construction is given by the frequency range required to control the growing lattice. We show that this cost grows at most as $\mathcal{O}(N^3)$, giving a polynomial scaling route to large$-N$, attractive to experimental implementation. Additionally, we demonstrate that the coupling parameter can be tuned beyond $\mathcal{O}(1)$, enabling the simulation of strong-coupling physics necessary for holographic phases.
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Atomic Physics

Dead-zone-free free-induction-decay alkali-metal atomic magnetometer

X.-K. Wang, J. He, H.-H. Deng et al. (+2 more)

The detection dead zone is an important systematic limitation in scalar atomic magnetometers, constraining their practical utility. In this work, we demonstrate a sensitive dead zone free scalar magnetometer by integrating previously established techniques into a FID magnetometer based on Bell Bloom optical pumping. The dead zone is eliminated by inserting a reflecting mirror within a multipass cavity assisted atomic cell, which folds the optical beam into orthogonal paths. Our analysis reveals that interregion cross talk is essential for interpreting the resulted experimental signals. The sensor exhibits oscillation signal amplitude variations within a factor of three across all orientations in three dimensional space, and a field sensitivity better than 80 fT/Hz^(1/2) over the full space. We further characterize the heading error in the geomagnetic field range, where experimental results agree with theoretical predictions within 0.7 nT. Additionally, the sensor can operate in a closed loop mode by feeding back the real time frequency extracted from the FID signal to modulate the pump beam, we characterize the magnetic field slew rate of the sensor. This work paves the way towards a sensitive vector FID magnetometer.
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All authors X.-K. Wang, J. He, H.-H. Deng, W. Gao, D. Sheng

Atomic Physics

Analytical model for polarization transfer during gas-phase collision events in spin-exchange optical pumping: Spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ $^{129}$Xe versus spin-$\frac{3}{2}$ $^{131}$Xe

Perttu Hilla, Rajgowrav Cheenikundil and Juha Vaara

Spin-exchange optical pumping (SEOP) is a method for producing spin-hyperpolarized noble gas nuclei, such as 129Xe and 131Xe, which are used in various magnetic resonance applications from fundamental physics to quantum sensing and medical imaging. In SEOP, optically polarized alkali-metal atoms transfer their spin polarization to the noble gas nuclei in gas-phase collision events via the hyperfine coupling (HFC) between the alkali valence electron and the noble gas nucleus. While the polarization transfer physics of spin $I = 1/2$ nuclei, such as 129Xe, is relatively well understood, that of spin $I > 1/2$ nuclei, such as 131Xe ($I = 3/2$), has been far less studied, and no rigorous theoretical model has been presented to date. To this end, we derive a simple analytical model for the upper limit, neglecting relaxation, of the SEOP polarization transfer, applicable to noble gases with arbitrary nuclear spin. Analytical evaluation of the Baker-Campbell-Hausdorff expansion for the time evolution of the spin density operator $\hat{\rho}(t)$ reveals that only even-order terms in the HFC contribute to the polarization transfer, with the leading-order quadratic term being the most significant. We obtain a result similar to that derived for the spin-exchange cross section by Herman [Phys. Rev. 137, A 1062 (1965)], but in a more general framework for the time evolution of $\hat{\rho}(t)$ that is also more familiar to magnetic resonance researchers. The model is applied to understand the difference in the polarization transfer efficiency between 129Xe and 131Xe, yielding results in agreement with previous experiments. We also validate the model by comparison to detailed numerical multiscale simulations of the SEOP process, where full quantum-chemically computed spin Hamiltonians sampled from molecular dynamics simulations of the gas-phase collision events are used to propagate the spin dynamics.
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Thursday 3 September

Atomic Physics

Sub-barrier peaks in atom-atom-ion three-body recombination

Fabian Thielemann, Joachim Siemund, Tobias Schaetz et al. (+1 more)

Hybrid atom-ion experiments have recently entered the few-partial wave regime in which magnetically tunable Feshbach resonances dominate the three-body loss dynamics. This necessitates a treatment of three-body recombination that can incorporate the role of the resonant dimer channel. Here, we develop a two-step Lindemann-type model for resonant atom-atom-ion three-body recombination that combines multichannel quantum-defect theory for the long-range polarization potential with a universal quantum-capture treatment of the inelastic atom-dimer step. We show that within our model, rate competition can lead to a peak in the three-body-recombination cross section of higher partial-wave channels at energies well below their corresponding centrifugal barrier. Investigating the resulting loss rates under numerically obtained non-thermal collision-energy distributions, we find that these effects survive the energy averaging and can be observed in state-of-the-art hybrid experimental setups. Our findings pave the way for a detailed characterization of atom-ion Feshbach resonances via the analysis of inelastic three-body-recombination processes.
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All authors Fabian Thielemann, Joachim Siemund, Tobias Schaetz, Krzysztof Jachymski

Atomic Physics

Magnetic Dipole Hyperfine Constants of 15 Energy Levels in $^{169}$Tm II Determined by Collinear Laser Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Hendrik Bodnar, Kristian König and Wilfried Nörtershäuser

We present measurements of the hyperfine structure, transition frequencies and relative intensities in 14 lines of 169Tm+ ions starting from the $4f^{13}({}^2\!F^o_{7/2})6s_{1/2} (7/2, 1/2)_{3,4}^o$ levels. The magnetic dipole hyperfine ($A$) constant of all 15 involved ionic levels are determined, 14 of which have sub-MHz accuracy. For five levels no previous measurements were reported, while all others are in excellent agreement with the literature and improve on the previous accuracy by typically 1 - 2 orders of magnitude. We compare transition strengths and include improved transition frequencies. These results are useful for the quantum computing community, modelling of Tm$^+$ abundances in stellar spectra, as well as for an ongoing measurement program on short-lived Tm isotopes at ISOLDE/CERN.
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Atomic Physics

Low stray-field ion pump configuration for cold atom experiments

Preeti Sharma, Luisa Loranca Cruz, Leonardo Ricci et al. (+1 more)

Ion pumps used in cold-atom experiments generate stray magnetic fields that can perturb magneto-optical trapping, shift Zeeman sensitive energy levels, and introduce systematic errors in precision spectroscopy. We numerically investigate a compact low-stray-field ion pump configuration designed to reduce magnetic flux leakage through the ultrahigh-vacuum port without increasing the overall pump size. Starting from a simplified magnetic model of a standard ion pump, we study two complementary modifications: auxiliary permanent magnets surrounding the original pump magnets with opposite magnetisation, and a soft-magnetic honeycomb field stopper integrated at the pump port. The resulting combined configuration strongly reduces the magnetic flux density outside the pump. In the geometry considered here, the field at 10 mm from the UHV port is reduced by 97.9%, while the calculated reduction in effective pumping speed due to the honeycomb stopper is 17.9%. These results indicate that engineered magnetic compensation and field-guiding structures can support more compact cold-atom vacuum systems while preserving pumping performance. Further work should validate the design with nonlinear magnetostatic modelling, molecular-flow simulations, and measurements on a complete pump geometry.
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All authors Preeti Sharma, Luisa Loranca Cruz, Leonardo Ricci, Andrea Bertoldi

Atomic Physics · Cross-listed from cond-mat.quant-gas

Universal scaling of fluctuations and correlations across the superfluid transition

Paul Paquiez, Géraud Dupuy, Maxime Allemand et al. (+6 more)

The critical behavior of a system near a continuous phase transition is commonly characterized by power laws and a set of universal critical exponents. Yet universality at phase transitions has even more fundamental manifestations. It dictates that all observables follow universal scaling functions, which may extend beyond simple power laws. Furthermore, microscopic details are captured entirely by only two system-specific scale factors, that rescale any measured quantity onto its universal form. In this work, we report the experimental validation of this prediction in ultracold lattice Bose gases undergoing the superfluid transition. We extract the scale factors by collapsing the order-parameter cumulants measured at varying entropies. We show that these factors specify scaling functions governing both the order-parameter distribution and two-point correlations. By measuring these scaling functions, we also determine three critical exponents $\beta$, $\gamma$ and $\nu$. Our results provide an experimental demonstration that universal scaling is simultaneously obeyed by multiple observables in a quantum many-body system.
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All authors Paul Paquiez, Géraud Dupuy, Maxime Allemand, Henri Coquinot, Tommaso Roscilde, Nicolas Dupuis, Adam Rançon, Thomas Chalopin, David Clément

Wednesday 2 September

Atomic Physics · Cross-listed from math-ph

Closed-form evaluation of the cyclic four-electron atomic correlation integral

Jonas Matuzas

For positive exponents $\alpha_1,\ldots,\alpha_4$ we evaluate the cyclic four-electron Slater integral, the topology recorded as case V in Bonham's 1965 classification, in a finite real expression of weight at most three. The general answer is an explicit sum of eighteen blocks involving only logarithms, dilogarithms and trilogarithms of rational functions of the exponents; all logarithm arguments are positive and all nonconstant polylogarithm arguments may be placed in $(-1,1)$, so no radical, generalized polylogarithm, contour prescription or unevaluated limit is required. At equal exponents the value collapses to $I(\lambda,\lambda,\lambda,\lambda)=(4\pi)^4\lambda^{-4}[\mathrm{Li}_3(1/4)/2-7\zeta(3)/24+\pi^2\log 2/12-2\log^3 2/3]$, a weight-three period over $\mathbb{Q}$ ramified only at 2 and 3. Three independently implemented numerical routes agree at four exponent tuples to at least 32 decimal places, an exact-dyadic evaluation of the classical formula gives eight 100-place certificates, and three published four-electron calibration values are reproduced to every printed digit. We also prove the small- and large-exponent limit laws with closed-form coefficients, dihedral symmetry, and a strict rearrangement law for the three inequivalent cyclic placements of four exponents. The formula applies to the four-cycle and does not evaluate the two chorded topologies.
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Atomic Physics · Cross-listed from cond-mat.quant-gas

Magnetic-Field-Calibration-Free Determination of the Hyperfine Constant $A$ in Ultracold Fermi gases of $^{40}$K

Yajing Yang, Biao Shan, Yuhang Zhao et al. (+8 more)

Hyperfine constant $A$ is a key parameter of the hyperfine structure and underpins precision spectroscopy and metrology. In this Letter, we develop a magnetic-field-calibration-free method for determining the ground-state hyperfine constant $A$ in an ultracold $^{40}$K Fermi gas by utilizing a pair of magnetically insensitive ("clock") transitions. This overcomes the stringent magnetic-field calibration requirements of conventional methods. We measure the transition frequency between these two magnetically insensitive transitions with Hz-level resolution over a range of magnetic fields, and obtain the ground-state hyperfine constant $A = -h\times 285.730536(2)\,\mathrm{MHz}$, corresponding to an absolute uncertainty of about $2\,\mathrm{Hz}$. Our value reduces the uncertainty by nearly three orders of magnitude compared with previous determinations, providing a substantially improved reference for high-precision spectroscopy and metrology with $^{40}$K.
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All authors Yajing Yang, Biao Shan, Yuhang Zhao, Jiahui Shen, Zhuxiong Ye, Liangchao Chen, Zengming Meng, Pengjun Wang, Wei Han, Jing Zhang, Lianghui Huang

Atomic Physics · Cross-listed from quant-ph

Accurate theoretical methods for photoionization of H$_2$ molecules

Hakon Volkmann, Jannis Schürmann and Alejandro Saenz

Single-photon ionization cross sections of molecular hydrogen in the electric dipole limit are numerically computed by employing three independent methods. Both time-dependent and -independent approaches within the clamped-nuclei approximation at equilibrium internuclear distance are used, featuring the explicit time-propagation of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation and newly developed multi-channel configuration-interaction free-boundary as well as complex-scaling methods using an explicitly correlated geminal basis set. The found results show convincing mutual agreement despite their entirely different fundamental formulations. They further highlight the challenges in bringing together different theoretical predictions from literature with the experimental data at high photon energies. Overall, the novel CI-based approach demonstrates fast and controllable convergence while being able to provide full channel-resolved information, indicating the need for more accurate experimental data.
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Tuesday 1 September

Atomic Physics

A monolithic segmented 3D ion trap fabricated from fused silica by selective laser-induced etching

Edgar Brucke, Martin Wagener, Moritz Fontboté-Schmidt et al. (+10 more)

We present the design, fabrication, and characterization of a monolithic, segmented, three-dimensional linear Paul ion trap for quantum science applications. The trap is fabricated from a single fused-silica block using selective laser-induced etching (SLE) and is subsequently metallized, forming electrodes isolated by self-shadowing trench structures without the need for layer alignment or external shadow masks. The segmented electrodes allow for shaping of the axial potential, enabling the creation of anharmonic potential wells, such as those required for equidistant ion strings. In addition, they enable shuttling and splitting of ion chains. We discuss key design choices and SLE-imposed constraints on achievable feature sizes, and evaluate electron-beam evaporation and magnetron sputtering as metallization approaches. Across two independent experimental setups, we demonstrate stable trapping and control of linear chains of up to 33 $^{40}$Ca$^+$ ions, including approximately equally spaced configurations. The measured secular frequencies in both traps agree with boundary-element simulations at the percent level, with residual deviations attributed to stray electric fields in the presence of anharmonic axial potentials, rather than fabrication imperfections. We measure axial micromotion field strengths on the order of 100 V/m along the trap axis, in approximate agreement with simulations. For radial mode frequencies near 2 MHz and an ion-electrode distance of 300 um, we measure heating rates of the order of 10 quanta/s in all but one motional mode, which is elevated by a technical noise source. The presented trap design is thus suitable for a wide range of quantum science applications and demonstrates the viability of SLE for the fabrication of finely segmented, monolithic, three-dimensional ion traps.
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All authors Edgar Brucke, Martin Wagener, Moritz Fontboté-Schmidt, Philip Leindecker, Matteo Marinelli, Vlad Negnevitsky, Ilia Sergachev, Grégoire F. M. Tomassi, Paul Venetz, Stephan Welte, Jonathan Home, Daniel Kienzler, Cornelius Hempel

Atomic Physics · Cross-listed from physics.chem-ph

Reference-Density Hartree Screening for Gausslet Hamiltonians

Steven R. White

Gausslets are among the few electronic-structure bases that permit the four-index electron–electron interaction to be replaced by an accurate two-index integral diagonal approximation (IDA). Near a many-electron nucleus, however, the nuclear attraction and core-electron Hartree field are individually large and substantially cancel. Treating the first as a full finite-basis matrix while treating the second with IDA leaves an avoidable imbalance. We introduce reference-density Hartree screening: the Hartree field of a chosen reference density is represented accurately, and IDA is applied only to density fluctuations about it. Tests on He, Ne, atomic F, F$_2$, and Cr$_2$ show large reductions in direct Hartree errors, including transfer of fitted neutral-atom fields to molecules. For Cr$_2$, atomic-core screening prevents the spurious HF collapse found with the unscreened $q=5$ and $q=7$ Hamiltonians, whereas finite-reference matching without screening does not. Screening leaves exchange and residual correlation unchanged. We therefore also introduce a low-rank one-particle correction that uses an accurate conventional Gaussian-basis Hartree–Fock calculation to match either occupied-space exchange information or the complete occupied Fock vectors. In F$_2$ and Cr$_2$, $X_{\rm HF}$ reproduces the finite-reference energy and occupied Fock vectors to numerical precision and the selected states return after orbital perturbations. For Cr$_2$, the corrected $q=5$ basis uses one quarter as many functions as the $q=7$ control while retaining sub-mHa mean-field accuracy. Screening provides the physical improvement to the direct field; the state-specific correction then restores the remaining accuracy of the Gaussian-basis mean-field reference.
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Atomic Physics

Polarization measurements of the $2s$–$2p_{3/2}$ VUV transition in N$^{4+}$ excited by electron collisions

Nobuyuki Nakamura, Ryohko Ishikawa and Motoshi Goto

We present the linear polarization of the $2s$–$2p_{3/2}$ transition in Li-like N$^{4+}$ excited by electron collisions, measured at electron energies between 85 and 1000~eV. The measured polarizations are compared with theoretical values calculated using the Flexible Atomic Code (FAC). Although the overall trend that the degree of polarization decreases with increasing electron energy is reproduced, the theoretical values are systematically larger in magnitude than the experimental values. After examining possible experimental sources of depolarization, we suggest that the discrepancy likely originates from an overestimation in the theoretical model. Further theoretical and experimental investigations along the isoelectronic sequence are needed to resolve this discrepancy.
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