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Physical Review Letters

Ab InitioCalculations of Quantum-Defect Parameters for Alkaline Earths

K. C. Pandey, Sudhanshu Shekhar Jha, John A. Armstrong

Published Jun 16, 1980• 20 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Within the framework of the close-coupling method, ab initio calculations of parameters of multichannel quantum-defect theory have been carried out for several Rydberg series of Ca, Sr, and Ba. A local-density approximation, commonly used in solid-state calculations, including self-consistent, self-energy corrections, was made to the exchange-correlation potential. Good agreement with experimental values of multichannel quantum-defect theory parameters is obtained, permitting accurate prediction of highly excited-state binding energies.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.44.1583

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Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Dec 28, 1990•79 citations
Within the framework of the close-coupling method, ab initio calculations of parameters of multichannel quantum-defect theory have been carried out for several Rydberg series of Ca, Sr, and Ba. A local-density approximation, commonly used in solid-state calculations, including self-consistent, self-energy corrections, was made to the exchange-correlation potential. Good agreement with experimental values of multichannel quantum-defect theory parameters is obtained, permitting accurate prediction of highly excited-state binding energies.
Abstract Using the reactance matrix approach, we systematically develop new multichannel quantum defect theory (MQDT) models for the singlet and triplet S, P, D and F states of strontium below the first ionization limit, based on improved energy level measurements. The new models reveal additional insights into the character of doubly excited perturber states, and the improved energy level measurements for certain series allow fine structure to be resolved for those series’ perturbers. Comparison between the predictions of the new models and those of previous empirical and ab initio studies reveals good agreement with most series; however, some discrepancies are highlighted. Using the MQDT wave functions derived from our models we calculate other observables such as Landé -factors and radiative lifetimes. The analysis reveals the impact of perturbers on the Rydberg state properties of divalent atoms, highlighting the importance of including two-electron effects in the calculations of these properties. The work enables future investigations of properties such as Stark maps and long-range interactions of Rydberg states of strontium.
Nonadiabatic effects on the structure of Rydberg states of alkaline-earth atoms are examined and found to be large in many cases. Calculations for the quantum defects of the singlet FFF and GGG series in calcium, including dynamical contributions, are shown to be in good agreement with recent experimental data. This is in contrast to predictions based on the adiabatic core-polarization model, which significantly overestimates the quantum defects. Values for quantum defects of Ca for $l\ensuremath{\ge}4$ are presented.
Multiconfiguration-Hartree-Fock wave functions for 1S^{1}S1S and 1D^{1}D1D states in Ca I and Sr I are compared with wave functions based on a multichannel-quantum-defect analysis. Discrepancies are found for all of the four series studied. In all cases the discrepancies pertain to perturbers which probably are located in the continuum.
Research on ultracold molecules has seen a growing interest recently in the context of high-resolution spectroscopy and quantum computation. The preparation of molecules in low vibrational levels of the ground state is experimentally challenging, and typically achieved by population transfer using excited electronic states. On the theoretical side, highly accurate potential energy surfaces are needed for a correct description of processes such as the coherent de-excitation from the highest and therefore weakly bound vibrational levels in the electronic ground state via couplings to electronically excited states. Particularly problematic is the correct description of potential features at large intermolecular distances. Franck-Condon overlap integrals for nuclear wavefunctions in barely bound vibrational states are extremely sensitive to inaccuracies of the potential at long range. In this study, we compare the predictions of common, wavefunction-based ab initio techniques for a known de-excitation mechanism in alkali-alkaline earth dimers. It is the aim to analyze the predictive power of these methods for a preliminary evaluation of potential cooling mechanisms in heteronuclear open shell systems which offer the experimentalist an electric as well as a magnetic handle for manipulation. The series of XXX-Sr molecules, with XXX = Li, Na, K and Rb, has been chosen for a direct comparison. Quantum degenerate mixtures of Rb and Sr have already been produced,\footnote{B. Pasquiou, A. Bayerle, S. M. Tzanova, S. Stellmer, J. Szczepkowski, M. Parigger, R. Grimm, and F. Schreck, Phys. Rev. A, 2013, 88, 023601} making this combination very promising for the production of ultracold molecules.
Atomic many-body theory methods are used to calculate the fine structure of negative ions formed by binding a p electron into an open shell, ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$, ${\mathrm{Sr}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$, ${\mathrm{Ba}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$, and ${\mathrm{Ra}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$. This binding is due to a strong correlation potential acting between the electron and the neutral atom. Comparison with experimental data shows that the second order many-body perturbation theory calculation overestimates the correlation potential by 10% to 15%. Scaling factors are introduced in the correlation potential to reproduce experimental binding energies of the lower p1/2{\mathrm{p}}_{1\mathrm{/}2}p1/2​ components. This procedure yields fine-structure intervals in excellent agreement with experiment for ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$, ${\mathrm{Sr}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$, and ${\mathrm{Ba}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$, and allows us to predict that in ${\mathrm{Ra}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ the p1/2{\mathrm{p}}_{1\mathrm{/}2}p1/2​ state is bound by 100 meV, and p3/2{\mathrm{p}}_{3\mathrm{/}2}p3/2​ is a resonance at 16 meV in the continuum.
Three mutually related problems concerning the interaction of an electron with an alkaline-earth atom are examined. (i) The scattering problem: the phaseshifts for p-electron scattering by Ca, Sr and Ba are calculated. (ii) The negative ion problem: the wavefunction and the binding energy are obtained for the outer electron in Ca - 4s 2 4p, Sr - 5s 2 5p and Ba - 6s 2 6p ions. (iii) The photodetachment problem: the photodetachment cross sections are calculated for the outer electron in each of these ions. The most intriguing feature of these problems is the strong correlational potential, attracting the electron to the atom due to the large dipole polarizabilities of Ca, Sr and Ba. The calculations are performed by means of the Dyson equation of the many-body theory.