arXiv subjects

Laurent Hilico

Publications and source records attributed to Laurent Hilico.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2022

Higher-order corrections to the spin-orbit and spin-spin tensor interactions in HD$^+$

Improved values of hyperfine coefficients related to the electronic spin-orbit and electron-nucleus spin-spin tensor interactions in the HD$^+$ molecular ion are obtained through numerical calculation of relativistic corrections at the $mα^6$ order and radiative corrections at the $mα^7\ln(α)$ order. The theoretical accuracy is improved by more than one order of magnitude. Some deviations with recent high-precision ro-vibrational spectroscopy experiments are observed, in contrast with the good agreement obtained in H$_2^+$.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2022

Higher-order corrections to spin-orbit and spin-spin tensor interactions in hydrogen molecular ions: theory and application to H$_2^+$

We consider higher-order corrections to hyperfine coefficients related to the spin-orbit and spin-spin tensor interactions in hydrogen molecular ions. The $mα^7 \ln(α)$-order radiative correction is derived in the NRQED framework. We present complete numerical calculations, including as well the $mα^6$-order relativistic correction, for the case of H$_2^+$. The theoretical uncertainty is reduced by more than one order of magnitude with respect to the Breit-Pauli level, down to a few ppm. We also compare our results with available rf spectroscopy data.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2020

Higher-order corrections to spin-spin scalar interactions in HD$^+$ and H$_2^+$

The largest hyperfine interaction coefficients in the hydrogen molecular ion HD$^+$, i.e. the electron-proton and electron-deuteron spin-spin scalar interactions, are calculated with estimated uncertainties slightly below 1~ppm. The $(Zα)^2 E_F$ relativistic correction, for which a detailed derivation is presented, QED corrections up to the order $α^3 \ln^2 (α)$ along with an estimate of higher-order terms, and nuclear structure corrections are taken into account. Improved results are also given for the electron-proton interaction coefficient in H$_2^+$, in excellent agreement with RF spectroscopy experiments. In HD$^+$, a 4$σ$ difference is found in the hyperfine splitting of the $(v,L)=(0,3) \to (9,3)$ two-photon transition that was recently measured with high precision. The origin of this discrepancy is unknown.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2020

Trapping, cooling, and photodissociation analysis of state-selected H$\_2^+$ ions produced by (3+1) multiphoton ionization

We report on the production of cold, state-selected H$_2^+$ molecular ions in a linear RF trap. The ions are produced by (3+1) resonance-enhanced multi-photon ionisation (REMPI) of H$_2$, and sympathetically cooled by laser-cooled Be$^+$ ions. After demonstrating and characterizing the REMPI process, we use photodissociation by a deep UV laser at 213~nm to verify the high vibrational purity of the produced H$_2^+$ ion samples. Moreover, the large difference between the photodissociation efficiencies of ions created in the $v=0$ and $v=1$ levels provides a way to detect a $v=0 \to 1$ transition. These results pave the way towards high-resolution vibrational spectroscopy of H$_2^+$ for fundamental metrology applications.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2017

$\bar{\textrm{H}}^{+}$ Sympathetic Cooling Simulations with a Variable Time Step

In this paper we present a new variable time step criterion for the velocity-Verlet algorithm allowing to correctly simulate the dynamics of charged particles exchanging energy via Coulomb collisions while minimising simulation time. We present physical arguments supporting the use of the criterion along with numerical results proving its validity. We numerically show that $\bar{\textrm{H}}^{+}$ ions with 18 meV initial energy can be captured and sympathetically cooled by a Coulomb crystal of $\textrm{Be}^{+}$ and $\textrm{HD}^{+}$ in less than 10 ms, an important result for the GBAR project.

physics.comp-ph↗

arXiv2017

Fundamental transitions and ionization energies of the hydrogen molecular ions at the few ppt level

We calculate ionization energies and fundamental vibrational transitions for H$_2^+$, D$_2^+$, and HD$^+$ molecular ions. The NRQED expansion for the energy in terms of the fine structure constant $α$ is used. Previous calculations of orders $mα^6$ and $mα^7$ are improved by including second-order contributions due to the vibrational motion of nuclei. Furthermore, we evaluate the largest corrections at the order $mα^8$. That allows to reduce the fractional uncertainty to the level of $7\cdot10^{-12}$ for fundamental transitions and to $4\cdot10^{-12}$ for the ionization energies.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2015

Test of the theoretical hyperfine structure of the molecular hydrogen ion at the 1-ppm level

We revisit the $m α^6 (m/M)$ order corrections to the hyperfine splitting in the H$_2^+$ ion, and find a hitherto unrecognized second-order relativistic contribution associated with the vibrational motion of the nuclei. Inclusion of this correction term produces theoretical predictions which are in excellent agreement with experimental data [K. B. Jefferts, Phys.\ Rev.\ Lett.\ \textbf{23}, 1476 (1969)], thereby concluding a nearly fifty years long theoretical quest to explain the experimental results within their 1-ppm error. The agreement between theory and experiment corroborates the proton structural properties as derived from the hyperfine structure of atomic hydrogen. Our work furthermore indicates that for future improvements, a full three-body evaluation of the $m α^6 (m/M)$ correction term will be mandatory.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2014

Cooling antihydrogen ions for the free-fall experiment GBAR

We discuss an experimental approach allowing to prepare antihydrogen atoms for the GBAR experiment. We study the feasibility of all necessary experimental steps: The capture of incoming $\bar{\rm H}^+$ ions at keV energies in a deep linear RF trap, sympathetic cooling by laser cooled Be$^+$ ions, transfer to a miniaturized trap and Raman sideband cooling of an ion pair to the motional ground state, and further reducing the momentum of the wavepacket by adiabatic opening of the trap. For each step, we point out the experimental challenges and discuss the efficiency and characteristic times, showing that capture and cooling are possible within a few seconds.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2013

Two-photon spectroscopy of trapped HD$^+$ ions in the Lamb-Dicke regime

We study the feasibility of nearly-degenerate two-photon rovibrational spectroscopy in ensembles of trapped, sympathetically cooled hydrogen molecular ions using a resonance-enhanced multiphoton dissociation (REMPD) scheme. Taking advantage of quasi-coincidences in the rovibrational spectrum, the excitation lasers are tuned close to an intermediate level to resonantly enhance two-photon absorption. Realistic simulations of the REMPD signal are obtained using a four-level model that takes into account saturation effects, ion trajectories, laser frequency noise and redistribution of population by blackbody radiation. We show that the use of counterpropagating laser beams enables optical excitation in an effective Lamb-Dicke regime. Sub-Doppler lines having widths in the 100 Hz range can be observed with good signal-to-noise ratio for an optimal choice of laser detunings. Our results indicate the feasibility of molecular spectroscopy at the $10^{-14}$ accuracy level for improved tests of molecular QED, a new determination of the proton-to-electron mass ratio, and studies of the time (in)dependence of the latter.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2013

Calculation of the relativistic Bethe logarithm in the two-center problem

We present a variational approach to evaluate relativistic corrections of order α^2 to the Bethe logarithm for the ground electronic state of the Coulomb two center problem. That allows to estimate the radiative contribution at mα^7 order in molecular-like three-body systems such as hydrogen molecular ions H_2^+ and HD^+, or antiprotonic helium atoms. While we get 10 significant digits for the nonrelativistic Bethe logarithm, calculation of the relativistic corrections is much more involved especially for small values of bond length R. We were able to achieve a level of 3-4 significant digits starting from R=0.2 bohr, that will allow to reach 10^{-10} relative uncertainty on transition frequencies.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2012

Analytical matrix elements of the Uehling potential in three-body systems, and applications to exotic molecules

Exact analytical expressions for the matrix elements of the Uehling potential in a basis of explicitly correlated exponential wave functions are presented. The obtained formulas are then used to compute with an improved accuracy the vacuum polarization correction to the binding energy of muonic and pionic molecules, both in a first-order perturbative treatment and in a nonperturbative approach. The first resonant states lying below the n=2 threshold are also studied, by means of the stabilization method with a real dilatation parameter.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2012

Why three-body physics do not solve the proton radius puzzle

The possible involvement of weakly bound three-body systems in the muonic hydrogen spectroscopy experiment [1], which could resolve the current discrepancy between determinations of the proton radius, is investigated. Using variational calculations with complex coordinate rotation, it is shown that the $pμe$ ion, which was recently proposed as a possible candidate [2], has no resonant states in the energy region of interest. QED level shifts are included phenomenologically by including a Yukawa potential in the three-body Coulomb Hamiltonian before diagonalization. It is also shown that the $ppμ$ molecular ion cannot play any role in the observed line.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2011

Faraday optical isolator in the 9.2 $μ$m range for QCL applications

We have fabricated and characterized a n-doped InSb Faraday isolator in the mid-IR range (9.2 $μ$m). A high isolation ratio of $\approx$30 dB with a transmission over 80% (polarizer losses not included) is obtained at room temperature. Further possible improvements are discussed. A similar design can be used to cover a wide wavelength range (lambda ~ 7.5-30 $μ$m).

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2008

Vibrational spectroscopy of H2+: precise evaluation of the Zeeman effect

We present an accurate computation of the g-factors of the hyperfine states of the hydrogen molecular ion H2+. The results are in good agreement with previous experiments, and can be tested further by rf spectroscopy. Their implication for high-precision two-photon vibrational spectroscopy of H2+ is also discussed. It is found that the most intense hyperfine components of two-photon lines benefit from a very small Zeeman splitting.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2008

Vibrational spectroscopy of H2+: hyperfine structure of two-photon transitions

We present the computation of two-photon transition spectra between ro-vibrational states of the H2+ molecular ion, including the effects of hyperfine structure and excitation polarization. The reduced two-photon matrix elements are obtained by means of a variational method. We discuss the implications of our results for high-resolution spectroscopy of H2+.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2007

HCOOH high resolution spectroscopy in the 9.18$μ$m region

We report on higly accurate absolute frequency measurement against a femtosecond frequency comb of 6 saturated absorption lines of formic acid (HCOOH) with an accuracy of 1 kHz. We also report the frequency measurement of 17 other lines with an accuracy of 2 kHz. Those lines are in quasi coincidence with the 9R(36) to 9R(42) CO$_2$ laser emission lines and are probed either by a CO$_2$ or a widely tunable quantum cascade laser phase locked to a master CO$_2$ laser. The relative stability of two HCOOH stabilized lasers is characterized by a relative Allan deviation of 4.5 10$^{-12}$ $τ^{-1/2}$. They give suitable frequency references for H$_2^+$ Doppler free two-photon spectroscopy.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2007

Narrow-line phase-locked quantum cascade laser in the 9.2 micron range

We report on the operation of a 50 mW continuous wave quantum cascade laser (QCL) in the 9.2 micrometer range, phase locked to a single mode CO2 laser with a tunable frequency offset. The wide free running emission spectrum of the QCL (3-5 MHz) is strongly narrowed down to the kHz range making it suitable for high resolution molecular spectroscopy.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2007

High accuracy results for the energy levels of the molecular ions H2+, D2+ and HD+, up to J=2

We present a nonrelativistic calculation of the rotation-vibration levels of the molecular ions H2+, D2+ and HD+, relying on the diagonalization of the exact three-body Hamiltonian. The J=2 levels are obtained with a very high accuracy of 10^{-14} a.u. (for most levels) representing an improvement by five orders of magnitude over previous calculations. The accuracy is also improved for the J=1 levels of H2+ and D2+ with respect to earlier works. Moreover, we have computed the sensitivities of the energy levels with respect to the mass ratios, allowing these levels to be used for metrological purposes.

quant-ph↗