Precision spectroscopy of helium in a magic wavelength optical dipole trap

Abstract

Improvements in both theory and frequency metrology of fewelectron systems such as hydrogen and helium have enabled increasingly sensitive tests of quantum electrodynamics (QED), as well as ever more accurate determinations of fundamental constants and the size of the nucleus. At the same time advances in cooling and trapping of neutral atoms have revolutionized the development of increasingly accurate atomic clocks. Here, we combine these fields to reach the highest precision on an optical tranistion in the helium atom to date by employing a Bose-Einstein condensate confined in a magic wavelength optical dipole trap. The measured transition accurately connects the ortho-and parastates of helium and constitutes a stringent test of QED theory. In addition we test polarizability calculations and ultracold scattering properties of the helium atom. Finally, our measurement probes the size of the nucleus at a level exceeding the projected accuracy of muonic helium measurements currently being performed in the context of the proton radius puzzle. 1 2 R.J. RENGELINK ET AL.In the past decades, high-precision spectroscopy measurements in atomic physics scale systems have pushed precision tests of quantum electrodynamics (QED), one of the cornerstones of the standard model of physics, ever further [1, 2] and have led to accurate determinations of fundamental constants [3][4][5][6]. Recently however, measurements of transition frequencies in muonic hydrogen (µH) have revealed a discrepancy of six standard deviations [7, 8] with respect to the accepted CODATA value for the proton charge radius. This discrepancy, which has become known as the "proton radius puzzle", has stimulated strong interest in the field, as its confirmation implies the violation of lepton universality, one of the pillars of the standard model. New experiments in atomic hydrogen [9, 10], and muonic deuterium [11] have only deepened the puzzle, prompting research into other elements such as muonic helium (µ 3,4 He + ) [12]. From these measurements the charge radii of the alpha-particle and the helion (1.68 fm resp. 1.97 fm) are projected to be determined with sub-attometer accuracy, which should be compared to high-precision experiments in electronic helium atoms or ions.QED theory of the helium atom, with two electrons more complicated than hydrogen, has seen impressive improvements in recent years, with QED corrections up to order mα 6 now evaluated [2]. Recent experiments are in good agreement [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] and may allow a competitive value for the fine structure constant in the near future [21][22][23][24]. The anticipated evaluation of the next highest order corrections (mα 7 ) [2] would allow the determination of the 4 He nuclear charge radius with an accuracy better than 1%. At present nuclear charge radii can already be determined differentially, i.e. with respect to 4 He, due to cancellation of higher-order terms in the isotope shift. Using this approach the radii of the exotic halo nuclei 6 He and 8 He [25,26], as well as t...

Measuring the α-particle charge radius with muonic helium-4 ions

“… 13 , 17 ), which renders any 3 He charge radius determination unreliable. This discrepancy will hopefully be resolved by ongoing measurements 16 , 17 in 3 He and our upcoming results on ( μ 3 He) + .…”

“…Ultra-precise measurements exist in atomic helium 13 , 14 , 16 – 18 , but theory 19 for this two-electron system is not yet advanced enough to allow for an absolute determination of the α-particle size from these measurements. Despite this, there are isotope shift measurements in He atoms that can be used to deduce the charge radius difference between any He isotope A He and the α particle: ( A , mass number).…”

Precision spectroscopy of atomic helium

“…The very weak 2 3 S-2 1 S transition has a line width of 8 Hz, which has been considered as a potential atomic clock transition. Precision spectroscopy measurements on the triplet to singlet transitions, including 2 3 S-2 1 S [ 30 , 31 ] and 2 3 S-2 1 P [ 32 ], have been carried out by a group in Amsterdam led by Wim Vassen. They prepared cold helium atoms in the 2 3 S metastable state using a dipole trap before the spectroscopy measurement of the forbidden transitions.…”

QED and relativistic nuclear recoil corrections to the 413-nm tune-out wavelength for the 2 S13 state of helium

“…The Lamb shift of the 2 1 S 0 and 2 3 S 1 states has been determined, respectively, using the 2 1 S 0 → 3 1 D 2 [8] and 2 3 S 1 → 2 3 D 1 two-photon transitions [9]. However, four standard deviations in the discrepancy between measurements for the helium nuclear charge radius, which are determined by two different methods (the 2 3 S → 2 3 P [10-12] and 2 3 S → 2 1 S [13,14] transition frequencies combined with calculations of the QED and recoil corrections [15][16][17]), pose significant challenges to QED theory.…”

“…and 2.75 fm, which are negligible in the present work. But in the future, if a measurement of the 413-nm tune-out wavelength can reach 10 −9 level of accuracy, it would have potential for the determination of the nuclear charge radius of helium, which is comparable with most of the precision spectroscopy methods [12,14,16,17].…”