The scalar and tensor dynamic polarizabilities of the first excited $^{2}P_{1∕2,3∕2}$ states of the alkali-metal atoms $\mathrm{Na}$ , $\mathrm{K}$ , and $\mathrm{Rb}$ are calculated using relativistic many-body perturbation theory. Comparison with experimental measurements of the static polarizabilities suggests that the errors in the theoretical predictions do not exceed 1%. The dynamic polarizabilities at imaginary frequencies are employed to calculate the long-range van der Waals coefficients for the interaction of ground-state helium atoms with the excited alkali-metal atoms to a probable error of less than 2%.The scalar and tensor dynamic polarizabilities of the first excited $^{2}P_{1∕2,3∕2}$ states of the alkali-metal atoms $\mathrm{Na}$, $\mathrm{K}$, and $\mathrm{Rb}$ are calculated using relativistic many-body perturbation theory. Comparison with experimental measurements of the static polarizabilities suggests that the errors in the theoretical predictions do not exceed 1%. The dynamic polarizabilities at imaginary frequencies are employed to calculate the long-range van der Waals coefficients for the interaction of ground-state helium atoms with the excited alkali-metal atoms to a probable error of less than 2%.

Physical Review ASep 30, 200441 citations

The scalar and tensor dynamic polarizabilities of the first excited

^{2}P_{1∕2,3∕2}

states of the alkali-metal atoms

\mathrm{Na}

\mathrm{K}

, and

\mathrm{Rb}

are calculated using relativistic many-body perturbation theory. Comparison with experimental measurements of the static polarizabilities suggests that the errors in the theoretical predictions do not exceed 1%. The dynamic polarizabilities at imaginary frequencies are employed to calculate the long-range van der Waals coefficients for the interaction of ground-state helium atoms with the excited alkali-metal atoms to a probable error of less than 2%.