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Physics-Uspekhi

An interference method for measuring atomic state parameters

Yurii L. Sokolov

Published May 31, 1999• 14 citations
Publisher

Abstract

A new approach to the observation of the stationary interference pattern of atomic states is suggested. A number of experiments performed from 1970 to 1998 using various interferometer designs are described. Among these are the precision measurements of Lamb shift in the hydrogen atom and the discovery, in the course of this work, of a long-range interaction between the moving excited hydrogen atom and the metal surface.

DOI
10.1070/pu1999v042n05abeh000535

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•Jan 1, 1970•2 citations
A new approach to the observation of the stationary interference pattern of atomic states is suggested. A number of experiments performed from 1970 to 1998 using various interferometer designs are described. Among these are the precision measurements of Lamb shift in the hydrogen atom and the discovery, in the course of this work, of a long-range interaction between the moving excited hydrogen atom and the metal surface.
A principle is proposed for the observation of the stationary interference pattern of two phase-shifted components of the 2p (or 2s) state of the hydrogen atom (Yu. L. Sokolov, Sov. Phys. JETP 36, 243 (1973)); (Proc. 6-th Internat. Conf. on Atomic Phys., Riga, 1978, p. 207). An atomic interferometer, a device analogous in principle to a two-channel optical (such as Michelson's) interferometer, is used to measure the frequency of the (2s/sub 1/2/, F = 0)--(2p/sub 1/2/, F = 0) transition in the hydrogen atom, which is found to equal 909.9014 +- 0.0019 MHz. The corresponding Lamb shift is delta(H, n = 2) = 1057.8594 +- 0.0019 MHz.
The interference of the 2 P state of the hydrogen atom due to unknown long-range interaction with the metal surface (Sokolov effect) has been studied by an atomic interferometer. In contrast to previous experiments, where an atomic beam passed through slits in metal plates, a beam in the presented experiments passes at a given distance from the edges of the plates. It has been found that the interference is clearly observed if two plates are located on the same side of the beam. However, this interference disappears if one plate is displaced to the opposite side. This result cannot be explained in the framework of the available hypotheses on the nature of the effect under investigation.
We study the stationary interference of the 2S1/2 or 2P1/2 states due to the passage of metastable hydrogen-like helium ions 4He+ through static electric fields. The basic theory of atomic state interference is presented and experimental conditions allowing observation of the interference pattern with a beam of 4He+ ions are analyzed. We show that optimal conditions are within the reach of modern day experimental techniques. We present theoretical interference curves for two types of atomic interferometers and discuss in detail approaches for the precise measurement of the Lamb shift δn=2 = 2S1/2 – 2P1/2 in 4He+. PACS Nos.: 31.30.Jv, 32.70.Fw, 39.10.+j, 39.20.+q