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K. Pachucki

Publications and source records attributed to K. Pachucki.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Antiprotonic atoms with nonperturbative inclusion of vacuum polarization and finite nuclear mass

We demonstrate that energy levels of excited states in a hydrogenic system consisting of an arbitrary nucleus and an antiproton can be calculated within the framework of nonrelativistic quantum electrodynamics, even for a large nuclear charge $Z$. It is because for rotational states the expansion parameter is $Z\,\alpha/n$. The main advantage of this approach is the possibility of exact inclusion of the finite nuclear mass, which we achieve up to the $(Z\,\alpha)^6$ order. In addition, we include unperturbatively the one-loop and two-loop electron vacuum polarization (evp) potentials in the nonrelativistic Hamiltonian, as well as in the leading relativistic correction. The obtained results for $l>1$ states of antiprotonic atoms with spinless nucleus are the most accurate to date. We make available a user-friendly {\sl Mathematica} code for antiprotonic atoms {\sl PbarSpectr}, which can be further improved by combining evp potentials with $(Z\,\alpha)^5$ QED effects, by adding three-loop evp, and by extending to an arbitrary nuclear spin. Finally, we note that rotational states of antiprotonic atoms can be used to determine the mean square nuclear charge radius much more accurately than from electronic or muonic atoms.

physics.atom-ph

Comprehensive theory of the Lamb shift in light muonic atoms

A comprehensive theory of the Lamb shift in light muonic atoms such as $\mu$H, $\mu$D, $\mu^3$He$^+$, and $\mu^4$He$^+$ is presented, with all quantum electrodynamic corrections included at the precision level constrained by the uncertainty of nuclear structure effects. This analysis can be used in the global adjustment of fundamental constants and in the determination of nuclear charge radii. Further improvements in the understanding of electromagnetic interactions of light nuclei will allow for a promising test of fundamental interactions by comparison with ``normal" atomic spectroscopy, in particular, with H-D and $^3$He-$^4$He isotope shifts.

physics.atom-ph

Self-energy screening effects in the $g$ factor of Li-like ions

We report an investigation of the self-energy screening effects for the $g$ factor of the ground state of Li-like ions. The leading screening contribution of the relative order $1/Z$ is calculated to all orders in the binding nuclear strength parameter $Zα$ (where $Z$ is the nuclear charge number and $α$ is the fine-structure constant). We also extend the known results for the $Zα$ expansion of the QED screening correction by deriving the leading logarithmic contribution of order $α^5\lnα$ and obtaining approximate results for the $α^5$ and $α^6$ contributions. The comparison of the two approaches yields a stringent check of consistency of the two calculations and allows us to obtain improved estimations of the higher-order screening effects.

physics.atom-ph

The full infrared spectrum of molecular hydrogen

The high spectral resolution R about 45,000 provided by IGRINS (Immersion Grating INfrared Spectrometer) at MacDonald Observatory and R 100,000 achieved by CRIRES (CRyogenic high-resolution InfraRed Echelle Spectrograph) at VLT (Very Large Telescope) challenges the present knowledge of infrared spectra. aims We aim to predict the full infrared spectrum of molecular hydrogen at a comparable accuracy. methods We take advantage of the recent theoretical ab initio studies on molecular hydrogen to compute both the electric quadrupole and magnetic dipole transitions taking place within the ground electronic molecular state of hydrogen. results We computed the full infrared spectrum of molecular hydrogen at an unprecedented accuracy and derive for the first time the emission probabilities including both electric quadrupole ($ΔJ = 0, \pm$2) and magnetic dipole transitions ($ΔJ = 0$) as well as the total radiative lifetime of each rovibrational state. Inclusion of magnetic dipole transitions increases the emission probabilities by factors of a few for highly excited rotational levels, which occur in the 3-20 $μ$ range}

physics.atom-ph

Nonadiabatic QED correction to the dissociation energy of the hydrogen molecule

The quantum electrodynamic correction to the energy of the hydrogen molecule has been evaluated without expansion in the electron-proton mass ratio. The obtained results significantly improve the accuracy of theoretical predictions reaching the level of 1 MHz for the dissociation energy, in a very good agreement with the parallel measurement [Hölsch et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 103002 (2019)]. Molecular hydrogen has thus become a cornerstone of ultraprecise quantum chemistry, which opens perspectives for determination of fundamental physical constants from its spectra.

physics.atom-ph

Toward a determination of the proton-electron mass ratio from the Lamb-dip measurement of HD

Precision spectroscopy of the hydrogen molecule is a test ground of quantum electrodynamics (QED), and may serve for determination of fundamental constants. Using a comb-locked cavity ring-down spectrometer, for the first time, we observed the Lamb-dip spectrum of the R(1) line in the overtone of HD. The line position was determined to be 217 105 182.79 $\pm0.03_{stat}\pm0.08_{syst}$ MHz ($δν/ν=4\times 10^{-10}$), which is the most accurate transition ever measured for the hydrogen molecule. Moreover, from calculations including QED effects up to the order $m_eα^6$, we obtained predictions for this R(1) line as well as for the HD dissociation energy, which are less accurate but signaling the importance of the complete treatment of nonadiabatic effects. Provided that the theoretical calculation reaches the same accuracy, the present measurement will lead to a determination of the proton-electron mass ratio with a precision of 1.3 parts per billion.

physics.atom-ph

Electron-correlation effects in the $g$-factor of light Li-like ions

We investigate electron-correlation effects in the $g$-factor of the ground state of Li-like ions. Our calculations are performed within the nonrelativistic quantum electrodynamics (NRQED) expansion up to two leading orders in the fine-structure constant $α$, $α^2$ and $α^3$. The dependence of the NRQED results on the nuclear charge number $Z$ is studied and the individual $1/Z$-expansion contributions are identified. Combining the obtained data with the results of the all-order (in $Zα$) calculations performed within the $1/Z$ expansion, we derive the unified theoretical predictions for the $g$-factor of light Li-like ions.

physics.atom-ph

Higher-order recoil corrections for singlet states of the helium atom

We investigate the finite nuclear mass corrections in the helium atom in order to resolve a significant disagreement between the $2^3S - 2^3P$ and $2^3S - 2^1S$ transition isotope shifts. These two transitions lead to discrepant results for the nuclear charge radii difference between $^4$He and $^3$He. The accurate treatment of the finite nuclear mass effects is quite complicated and requires the use of the quantum field theoretical approach. We derive $α^6 m^2/M$ correction with the help of nonrelativistic QED and dimensional regularization of the three body Coulombic system, and present accurate numerical results for low lying states. The previously reported $4 σ$ discrepancy in the nuclear charge radius difference between $^3$He and $^4$He from two different atomic isotope shift transitions is confirmed, which calls for verification of experimental transition frequencies.

physics.atom-ph

Higher-order recoil corrections for triplet states of the helium atom

Nuclear recoil corrections of order $α^6\,m^2/M$ are calculated for the lowest-lying triplet states of the helium atom. It improves the theoretical prediction for the isotope shift of the $2^3S-2^3P$ transition energy and influences the determination of the ${}^3\textrm{He}-{}^4\textrm{He}$ nuclear charge radii difference. This calculation is a step forward on the way towards the direct determination of the charge radius of the helium nucleus from spectroscopic measurements.

physics.atm-clus

Evidence for the virtual beta-gamma transition in 59Ni

A novel theory of radiative electron capture in second forbidden non-unique transition, is applied to reanalyze experimental data obtained previously for the decay of 59Ni. The measured gamma spectrum is shown to be distorted at the high-energy end, presenting the first direct evidence for the virtual beta-gamma transition through the excited state in 59Co. The complete theoretical predictions, including both the direct and the virtual decay channels, as well as the interference between them, reproduce very well the experimental spectrum. The virtual nuclear component amounts to about 4% of the total gamma intensity.

nucl-th

Functional Form of the Imaginary Part of the Atomic Polarizability

The dynamic atomic polarizability describes the response of the atom to incoming electromagnetic radiation. The functional form of the imaginary part of the polarizability for small driving frequencies omega has been a matter of long-standing discussion, with both a linear dependence and an omega^3 dependence being presented as candidate formulas. The imaginary part of the polarizability enters the expressions of a number of fundamental physical processes which involve the thermal dissipation of energy, such as blackbody friction, and non-contact friction. Here, we solve the long-standing problem by calculating the imaginary part of the polarizability in both the length (d.E) as well as the velocity-gauge (p.A) form of the dipole interaction, verify the gauge invariance, and find general expressions applicable to atomic theory; the omega^3 form is obtained in both gauges. The seagull term in the velocity gauge is found to be crucial in establishing gauge invariance.

quant-ph

One-Loop Dominance in the Imaginary Part of the Polarizability: Application to Blackbody and Non-Contact van der Waals Friction

Phenomenologically important quantum dissipative processes include black-body friction (an atom absorbs counterpropagating blue-shifted photons and spontaneously emits them in all directions, losing kinetic energy) and non-contact van der Waals friction (in the vicinity of a dielectric surface, the mirror charges of the constituent particles inside the surface experience drag, slowing the atom). The theoretical predictions for these processes are modified upon a rigorous quantum electrodynamic (QED) treatment, which shows that the one-loop "correction" yields the dominant contribution to the off-resonant, gauge-invariant, imaginary part of the atom's polarizability at room temperature, for typical atom-surface interactions. The tree-level contribution to the polarizability dominates at high temperature.

quant-ph

Bounds on fifth forces from precision measurements on molecules

Highly accurate results from frequency measurements on neutral hydrogen molecules H_2, HD and D_2 as well as the HD^+ ion can be interpreted in terms of constraints on possible fifth-force interactions. Where the hydrogen atom is a probe for yet unknown lepton-hadron interactions, and the helium atom is sensitive for lepton-lepton interactions, molecules open the domain to search for additional long-range hadron-hadron forces. First principles calculations in the framework of quantum electrodynamics have now advanced to the level that hydrogen molecules and hydrogen molecular ions have become calculable systems, making them a search-ground for fifth forces. Following a phenomenological treatment of unknown hadron-hadron interactions written in terms of a Yukawa potential of the form V_5(r)=βexp(-r/λ)/r current precision measurements on hydrogenic molecules yield a constraint β< 1 \times 10^{-7} eVÅfor long-range hadron-hadron interactions at typical force ranges commensurate with separations of a chemical bond, i.e. λ~1 Åand beyond.

physics.atom-ph

D1 and D2 lines in $^{6,7}$Li including QED effects

Accurate theoretical predictions including leading QED corrections for $2^2P_{1/2} - 2^2S_{1/2}$ (D1) and $2^2P_{3/2} - 2^2S_{1/2}$ (D2) transition energies have been obtained for $^{6,7}$Li isotopes. Our results for the Bethe logarithms $\ln k_0(2^2S) = 5.178\,169(4)$, and for mass polarization corrections $Δ\ln k_0(2^2S) = 0.113\,81(3)$ are in disagreement with ones obtained recently in the literature. In contrast, results $\ln k_0(2^2P) = 5.179\,81(7)$ and $Δ\ln k_0(2^2P) = 0.111\,3(5)$ are in good agreement with them. From our theoretical predictions and recent measurements of $^{6,7}$Li D-lines at NIST, we determine the mean square charge radius difference between $^7$Li and $^6$Li nuclei, in agreement with determinations based on the $3^2S_{1/2}-2^2S_{1/2}$ transition, what demonstrates consistency of atomic spectroscopy determination of fundamental properties of nuclei.

physics.atom-ph

Quantum electrodynamic calculation of the hyperfine structure of 3He

The combined fine and hyperfine structure of the $2^3P$ states in $^3$He is calculated within the framework of nonrelativistic quantum electrodynamics. The calculation accounts for the effects of order $mα^6$ and increases the accuracy of theoretical predictions by an order of magnitude. The results obtained are in good agreement with recent spectroscopic measurements in $^3$He.

physics.atom-ph

Frequency metrology of helium around 1083 nm and determination of the nuclear charge radius

We measure the absolute frequency of seven out of the nine allowed transitions between the 2$^3${\it S} and 2$^3${\it P} hyperfine manifolds in a metastable $^3$He beam by using an optical frequency comb synthesizer-assisted spectrometer. The relative uncertainty of our measurements ranges from $1\times 10^{-11}$ to $5\times 10^{-12}$, which is, to our knowledge, the most precise result for any optical $^3$He transition to date. The resulting $2^3${\it P}-2$^3${\it S} centroid frequency is $276\,702\,827\,204.8\,(2.4)$kHz. Comparing this value with the known result for the $^4$He centroid and performing {\em ab initio} QED calculations of the $^4$He-$^3$He isotope shift, we extract the difference of the squared nuclear charge radii $δr^2$ of $^3$He and $^4$He. Our result for $δr^2=1.074 (3)$ fm$^2$ disagrees by about $4\,σ$ with the recent determination [R. van Rooij {\em et al.}, Science {\bf 333}, 196 (2011)].

physics.atom-ph

QED calculation of the nuclear magnetic shielding for hydrogen-like ions

We report an ab initio calculation of the shielding of the nuclear magnetic moment by the bound electron in hydrogen-like ions. This investigation takes into account several effects that have not been calculated before (electron self-energy, vacuum polarization, nuclear magnetization distribution), thus bringing the theory to the point where further progress is impeded by the uncertainty due to nuclear-structure effects. The QED corrections are calculated to all orders in the nuclear binding strength parameter and, independently, to the leading order in the expansion in this parameter. The results obtained lay the ground for the high-precision determination of nuclear magnetic dipole moments from measurements of the g-factor of hydrogen-like ions.

physics.atom-ph

QED theory of the nuclear magnetic shielding in hydrogen-like ions

The shielding of the nuclear magnetic moment by the bound electron in hydrogen-like ions is calculated ab initio with inclusion of relativistic, nuclear, and quantum electrodynamics (QED) effects. The QED correction is evaluated to all orders in the nuclear binding strength parameter and, independently, to the first order in the expansion in this parameter. The results obtained lay the basis for the high-precision determination of nuclear magnetic dipole moments from measurements of the g-factor of hydrogen-like ions.

physics.atom-ph