We carry out relativistic many-body calculations of the static and dynamic dipole polarizabilities of the ground 6s 2 1 S 0 and the first excited 6s6p 3 P o 0 states of Yb. With these polarizabilities, we compute several properties of Yb relevant to optical lattice clocks operating on the 6s 2 1 S 0 –6s6p 3 P o 0 transition. We determine (i) the first four magic wavelengths of the laser field for which the frequency of the clock transition is insensitive to the laser intensity. While the first magic wavelength is known, we predict the second, the third and the fourth magic wavelengths to be 551 nm, 465 nm and 413 nm. (ii) We re-evaluate the effect of black-body radiation on the frequency of the clock transition, the resulting clock shift at T = 300 K being −1.41(17) Hz. (iii) We compute long-range interatomic van der Waals coefficients (in a.u.) C 6 (6s 2 1 S 0 + 6s 2 1 S 0 ) = 1909(160), C 6 (6s 2 1 S 0 + 6s6p 3 P 0 ) = 2709(338) and C 6 (6s6p 3 P 0 + 6s6p 3 P 0 ) = 3886(360). Finally, we determine the atom-wall interaction coefficients (in a.u.), C 3 (6s 2 1 S 0 ) = 3.34 and C 3 (6s6p 3 P 0 ) = 3.68. We also address and resolve a disagreement between previous calculations of the static polarizability of the ground state.
We calculate and measure the magic wavelengths for the $6{s}^{2}^{1}S_{0}\ensuremath{-}6s6p\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{3}P_{1}$ intercombination transition of the neutral ytterbium atom. The calculation is performed with the ab initio configuration interaction
+ all-order method. The measurement is done with laser spectroscopy on cold atoms in an optical dipole trap. The magic wavelengths are determined to be 1035.68(4) nm for the $\ensuremath{\pi}$ transition $(\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}m=0)$ and 1036.12(3) nm for the $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ transitions $(|\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}m|=1)$ in agreement with the calculated values. Laser cooling on the narrow intercombination transition could achieve better results for atoms in an optical dipole trap when the trap wavelength is tuned to near the magic wavelength.
We determine the static values of the scalar and tensor dipole polarizabilities of the ground, 6s6p 3 P 0 o , and 6s6p 3 P 1 o states of the Yb atom. These results can be useful in many experiments undertaken using this atom. We employed a combined configuration interaction (CI) method and a second-order many-body perturbation theory (MBPT) to evaluate energies and electric dipole (E1) matrix elements of many low-lying excited states of the above atom. These values are compared with the other available theoretical calculations and experimental values. By combining these E1 matrix elements with the experimental excitation energies, we estimate the dominant valence correlation contributions to the dipole polarizabilities of the above states. The core contribution is obtained from the finite field approach. We also compare these values with the other theoretical results as there are no precise experimental values that are available for these properties.
The wave functions, energy levels and matrix elements of Yb+ ions are calculated using the relativistic configuration interaction plus core polarization (RCICP) method. The static and dynamic electric dipole polarizabilities of the ground state and low-lying excited states are determined. Then, the magic wavelengths of the magnetic sublevel 6s1/2,m = 1/2 → 5d3/2,m = ±3/2,±1/2 and 6s1/2,m = 1/2 → 5d5/2,m = ±5/2,±3/2,±1/2 transitions in the linearly, right-handed, and left-handed polarized light are further determined. The dependence of the magic wavelengths upon the angle between the direction of magnetic field and the direction of laser polarization is analyzed.
The static and dynamic electric dipole polarizabilities of the
5s2 1S0 and
5s5p 3P0,2 states of Sr atoms are calculated using the relativistic configuration interaction plus the many-body perturbation theory (RCI+MBPT) method. Magic wavelengths are determined for the transitions
5s2 1S0→5s5p 3P0,
5s2 1S0→5s5p 3P2, and
5s5p 3P0→5s5p 3P2. A comprehensive study is conducted on the dependence of magic wavelengths on the angle between the laser polarization and the magnetic field. Furthermore, the conditions for realizing triple magic trapping at 813.4~nm for the
5s2 1S0,
5s5p 3P0 and
5s5p 3P2 states are investigated. In the case of linearly polarized light, when the angle (
θp) between the laser polarization direction and the magnetic field is
79.1(0.7)∘, triple magic trapping for the
5s2 1S0,
5s5p 3P0, and
5s5p 3P2 M=0 states can be achieved. This result agrees well with the recent experimental measurement (78.49(3)
∘)[Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 143401 (2025)]. Meanwhile, triple magic trapping involving the
5s5p 3P2 M=2 state can be achieved when
θp=37.4(0.3)∘. The conditions for achieving triple magic trapping with circularly and arbitrarily elliptically polarized light are also presented.