Relativistic Calculations of Atomic Clock

B. K. Sahoo

Maximilian P. E. Lock, Ivette Fuentes

Marianna S. Safronova, Dansha Jiang, M. G. Kozlov +1 more

We developed a theoretical method within the framework of relativistic many-body theory to accurately treat correlation corrections in atoms with few valence electrons. Preliminary results for systems of interest to atomic clock development are reported. We also calculated the blackbody radiation shift of the ground-state hyperfine microwave transition in87Rb using the relativistic all-order method and evaluated the accuracy of our final value. The uncertainty estimate is discussed in detail.

Amar C. Vutha, Tom Kirchner, P. Dubé

Collisions with background gas particles can shift the resonance frequencies of atoms in atomic clocks. The internal quantum states of atoms can also become entangled with their motional states due to the recoil imparted by a collision, which leads to a further shift of the clock frequency through the relativistic Doppler shift. It can be complicated to evaluate the Doppler and collisional frequency shifts for clock atoms in such entangled states, but estimates of these shifts are essential in order to improve the accuracy of optical atomic clocks. We present a formalism that describes collisions and relativistic Doppler shifts in a unified manner, and can therefore be used to accurately estimate collisional frequency shifts in trapped-atom clocks.

Vyacheslav F. Fateev, Fedor R. Smirnov, Карауш Артем Андреевич