High precision atomic theory for Li and Be+: QED shifts and isotope shifts

Exact Theory Applied to the Lithium Atom

The free complement (FC) theory for solving the scaled Schrödinger equation (SSE) was applied to the Li atom for calculating the exact wave functions, the energies, and the various properties of the ground doublet S and excited P states. The SSE is equivalent to the Schrödinger equation (SE) but does not have the divergence difficulty of the variational equation of the SE. Because the Li atom is a three-electron system, the variational exact FC calculations for solving the SSE are possible using the function g = 1 - exp(-γr) as the "correct" scaling function of the SSE. The "reasonable" scaling function g = r was also used as comparative calculations. We performed variational calculations to the order eight of the FC theory and could obtain essentially exact solutions of the SSE or SE with the "correct" g function of the FC theory. We report here the values of the exact energy, spin density, electron density, and electron-nuclear and electron-electron cusp values of the doublet S and P states. They agreed very well with the experimental values and the best theoretical values presented by Drake and collaborators. This is a simple example that the exact theory gives the exact solutions.

Deformed explicitly correlated Gaussians

Deformed explicitly correlated Gaussian (DECG) basis functions are introduced, and their matrix elements are calculated. All matrix elements can be calculated analytically in a closed form, except the Coulomb one, which has to be approximated by a Gaussian expansion. The DECG basis functions can be used to solve problems with nonspherical potentials. One example of such potential is the dipole self-interaction term in the Pauli-Fierz Hamiltonian. Examples are presented showing the accuracy and necessity of deformed Gaussian basis functions to accurately solve light-matter coupled systems in cavity QED.

Lower Bounds for Nonrelativistic Atomic Energies

A recently developed lower bound theory for Coulombic problems (E. Pollak, R. Martinazzo, J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2021, 17, 1535) is further developed and applied to the highly accurate calculation of the ground-state energy of two- (He, Li⁺, and H^-) and three- (Li) electron atoms. The method has been implemented with explicitly correlated many-particle basis sets of Gaussian type, on the basis of the highly accurate (Ritz) upper bounds they can provide with relatively small numbers of functions. The use of explicitly correlated Gaussians is developed further for computing the variances, and the necessary modifications are here discussed. The computed lower bounds are of submilli-Hartree (parts per million relative) precision and for Li represent the best lower bounds ever obtained. Although not yet as accurate as the corresponding (Ritz) upper bounds, the computed bounds are orders of magnitude tighter than those obtained with other lower bound methods, thereby demonstrating that the proposed method is viable for lower bound calculations in quantum chemistry applications. Among several aspects, the optimization of the wave function is shown to play a key role for both the optimal solution of the lower bound problem and the internal check of the theory.

Nonadiabatic, Relativistic, and Leading-Order QED Corrections for Rovibrational Intervals of ^{4}He_{2}^{+} (X ^{2}Σ_{u}^{+})

The rovibrational intervals of the ^{4}He_{2}^{+} molecular ion in its X ^{2}Σ_{u}^{+} ground electronic state are computed by including the nonadiabatic, relativistic, and leading-order quantum-electrodynamics corrections. Good agreement of theory and experiment is observed for the rotational excitation series of the vibrational ground state and the fundamental vibration. The lowest-energy rotational interval is computed to be 70.937 69(10)  cm^{-1} in agreement with the most recently reported experimental value, 70.937 589(23)(60)_{sys}  cm^{-1} [L. Semeria et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 124, 213001 (2020)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.124.213001].

Absolute Frequency Measurement of ^{6}Li D Lines with khz-Level Uncertainty

We report the precision measurement of the absolute frequencies, hyperfine splitting, and 2P fine structure splitting in cold atoms of ^{6}Li. Using the stabilized optical frequency comb and developed heterodyne detection technique, the photon shot-noise limited optical spectroscopy is achieved. The measurement of absolute frequencies of D_{1} lines is reached with an uncertainty of about 1 kHz, which is 1 order of magnitude more accurate than previous measurements. The hyperfine splitting of the D_{1} line and 2P fine structure splitting of ^{6}Li are 26.103 1 (14) and 10 052.780 4 (18) MHz, respectively, in agreement with recent theoretical calculations. Our results could provide a benchmark to test the theory at the higher precision and help to resolve large discrepancies among previous experiments.

Nuclear Charge Radii of ^{10,11}B

The first laser spectroscopic determination of the change in the nuclear charge radius for a five-electron system is reported. This is achieved by combining high-accuracy ab initio mass-shift calculations and a high-accuracy measurement of the isotope shift in the 2s^{2}2p  ^{2}P_{1/2}→2s^{2}3s  ^{2}S_{1/2} ground state transition in boron atoms. Accuracy is increased by orders of magnitude for the stable isotopes ^{10,11}B and the results are used to extract their difference in the mean-square charge radius ⟨r_{c}^{2}⟩^{11}-⟨r_{c}^{2}⟩^{10}=-0.49(12)  fm^{2}. The result is qualitatively explained by a possible cluster structure of the boron nuclei and quantitatively used to benchmark new ab initio nuclear structure calculations using the no-core shell model and Green's function Monte Carlo approaches. These results are the foundation for a laser spectroscopic determination of the charge radius of the proton-halo candidate ^{8}B.

Solving the Schrödinger equation with the free-complement chemical-formula theory: Variational study of the ground and excited states of Be and Li atoms

The chemical formula theory (CFT) proposed in Paper I of this series [H. Nakatsuji et al., J. Chem. Phys. 149, 114105 (2018)] is a simple variational electronic structure theory for atoms and molecules. The CFT constructs simple, conceptually useful wave functions for the ground and excited states, simultaneously, from the ground and excited states of the constituent atoms, reflecting the spirits of the chemical formulas. The CFT wave functions are also designed to be used as the initial wave functions of the free complement (FC) theory, that is, the exact theory producing the exact wave functions of the Schrödinger accuracy. This combined theory is referred to as the FC-CFT. We aim to construct an exact wave function theory that is useful not only quantitatively but also conceptually. This paper shows the atomic applications of the CFT and the FC-CFT. For simplicity, we choose the small atoms, Be and Li, and perform variational calculations to essentially exact levels. For these elements, a simple Hylleraas CI type formulation is known to be potentially highly accurate: we realize it with the CFT and the FC-CFT. Even from the CFT levels, the excitation energies to the Rydberg excited states were calculated satisfactorily. Then, with increasing the order of the FC theory in the FC-CFT, all the absolute energies and the excitation energies of the Be and Li atoms were improved uniformly and reached rapidly to the essentially exact levels in order 3 or 4 with moderately small calculational labors.

Precise measurement of hyperfine structure in the 3S1/2 state of 7Li

We report a precise measurement of hyperfine structure in the 3S_1/2 state of the odd isotope of Li, namely ⁷Li. The state is excited from the ground 2S_1/2 state (which has the same parity) using two single-photon transitions via the intermediate 2P_3/2 state. The value of the hyperfine constant we measure is A = 93.095(52) MHz, which resolves two discrepant values reported in the literature measured using other techniques. Our value is also consistent with theoretical calculations.

Precision Test of Many-Body QED in the Be+ 2p Fine Structure Doublet Using Short-Lived Isotopes

Absolute transition frequencies of the 2s 2S{1/2}→2p2P{1/2,3/2} transitions in Be^{+} were measured for the isotopes ^{7,9-12}Be. The fine structure splitting of the 2p state and its isotope dependence are extracted and compared to results of ab initio calculations using explicitly correlated basis functions, including relativistic and quantum electrodynamics effects at the order of mα(6) and mα(7) ⁢ln α. Accuracy has been improved in both the theory and experiment by 2 orders of magnitude, and good agreement is observed. This represents one of the most accurate tests of quantum electrodynamics for many-electron systems, being insensitive to nuclear uncertainties.

Fine structure and ionization energy of the 1s2s2p 4P state of the helium negative ion He-

The fine structure and ionization energy of the 1s2s2p (4)P state of the helium negative ion He(-) are calculated in Hylleraas coordinates, including relativistic and QED corrections up to O(α(4)mc(2)), O((μ/M)α(4)mc(2)), O(α(5)mc(2)), and O((μ/M)α(5)mc(2)). Higher order corrections are estimated for the ionization energy. A comparison is made with other calculations and experiments. We find that the present results for the fine structure splittings agree with experiment very well. However, the calculated ionization energy deviates from the experimental result by about 1 standard deviation. The estimated theoretical uncertainty in the ionization energy is much less than the experimental accuracy.

Quantum electrodynamics corrections to the 2P fine splitting in Li

We consider quantum electrodynamics (QED) corrections to the fine splitting E(2P_{3/2})-E(2P_{1/2}) in the Li atom. We derive complete formulas for the mα^{6} and mα^{7}lnα contributions and calculate them numerically using highly optimized, explicitly correlated basis functions. The obtained results are in agreement with the most recent measurement, helping to resolve discrepancies between former ones and lay the foundation for the investigation of QED effects in light, many-electron atoms.

High angular momentum states of lithium atom, studied with symmetry-projected explicitly correlated Gaussian lobe functions

Method of construction of wave functions approximating eigenfunctions of the [Formula: see text] operator is proposed for high angular momentum states of few-electron atoms. Basis functions are explicitly correlated Gaussian lobes, projected onto irreducible representations of finite point groups. Variational calculations have been carried out for the lowest states of lithium atom, with quantum number L in the range from 1 to 8. Nonrelativistic energies accurate to several dozens of nanohartree have been obtained. For 2(2)P, 3(2)D, and 4(2)F states they agree well with the reference results. Transition frequencies have been computed and compared with available experimental data.

Prediction of (1)P Rydberg energy levels of beryllium based on calculations with explicitly correlated Gaussians

Benchmark variational calculations are performed for the seven lowest 1s(2)2s np ((1)P), n = 2...8, states of the beryllium atom. The calculations explicitly include the effect of finite mass of (9)Be nucleus and account perturbatively for the mass-velocity, Darwin, and spin-spin relativistic corrections. The wave functions of the states are expanded in terms of all-electron explicitly correlated Gaussian functions. Basis sets of up to 12,500 optimized Gaussians are used. The maximum discrepancy between the calculated nonrelativistic and experimental energies of 1s(2)2s np ((1)P) →1s(2)2s(2) ((1)S) transition is about 12 cm(-1). The inclusion of the relativistic corrections reduces the discrepancy to bellow 0.8 cm(-1).

An algorithm for quantum mechanical finite-nuclear-mass variational calculations of atoms with L = 3 using all-electron explicitly correlated Gaussian basis functions

A new algorithm for quantum-mechanical nonrelativistic calculation of the Hamiltonian matrix elements with all-electron explicitly correlated Gaussian functions for atoms with an arbitrary number of s electrons and with three p electrons, or one p electron and one d electron, or one f electron is developed and implemented. In particular the implementation concerns atomic states with L = 3 and M = 0. The Hamiltonian used in the approach is obtained by rigorously separating the center-of-mass motion from the laboratory-frame all particle Hamiltonian, and thus it explicitly depends on the finite mass of the nucleus. The approach is employed to perform test calculations on the lowest (2)F state of the two main isotopes of the lithium atom, (7)Li and (6)Li.

Precise frequency measurements of iodine hyperfine transitions at 671 nm

We report absolute frequency measurements on the a(1), a(10), and a(15) hyperfine components of the R(78) 4-6 line of (127)I(2). An external-cavity diode laser system at 671 nm is frequency-stabilized to the saturated absorption center obtained by modulation transfer spectroscopy in an iodine vapor cell. Its absolute frequency is measured by an optical frequency comb. The effect of pressure shift is investigated to obtain the absolute transition frequency at zero pressure. Our determination of the line centers reaches a precision of better than 40 kHz and will provide useful input for theoretical calculations. This frequency-stabilized laser can be used as a reference laser for the spectroscopy of lithium D lines.

Assessment of the accuracy the experimental energies of the 1P(o) 1s(2)2s6p and 1s(2)2s7p states of 9Be based on variational calculations with explicitly correlated Gaussians

Benchmark variational calculations are performed for the six lowest states of the (1)P(o) 1s(2)2snp state series of the (9)Be atom. The wave functions of the states are expanded in terms of all-particle, explicitly correlated Gaussian basis functions and the effect of the finite nuclear mass is directly included in the calculations. The exponential parameters of the Gaussians are variationally optimized using the analytical energy gradient determined with respect to those parameters. Besides providing reference non-relativistic energies for the considered states, the calculations also allow to assess the accuracy of the experimental energies of the (1)P(o) 1s(2)2s6p and 1s(2)2s7p states and suggest their refinement.

Explicitly correlated Gaussian calculations of the 2P(o) Rydberg spectrum of the lithium atom

Accurate quantum-mechanical nonrelativistic variational calculations are performed for the nine lowest members of the (2)P(o) Rydberg series (1s(2)np(1), n = 2, ..., 10) of the lithium atom. The effect of the finite nuclear mass is included in the calculations allowing for determining the isotopic shifts of the energy levels. The wave functions of the states are expanded in terms of all-electron explicitly correlated Gaussian functions. The exponential parameters of the Gaussians are variationally optimized with the aid of the analytical energy gradient determined with respect to those parameters. The calculated state energies are compared with the available experimental data.

Nuclear charge radius of 12Be

The nuclear charge radius of (12)Be was precisely determined using the technique of collinear laser spectroscopy on the 2s(1/2)→2p(1/2,3/2) transition in the Be(+) ion. The mean square charge radius increases from (10)Be to (12)Be by δ<r(c)(2)>(10,12)=0.69(5) fm(2) compared to δ<r(c)(2)>(10,11)=0.49(5) fm(2) for the one-neutron halo isotope ^{11}Be. Calculations in the fermionic molecular dynamics approach show a strong sensitivity of the charge radius to the structure of ^{12}Be. The experimental charge radius is consistent with a breakdown of the N=8 shell closure.

Absolute transition frequencies and quantum interference in a frequency comb based measurement of the (6,7)Li D lines

Optical frequencies of the D lines of (6,7)Li were measured with a relative accuracy of 5 × 10⁻¹¹ using an optical comb synthesizer. Quantum interference in the laser induced fluorescence for the partially resolved D2 lines was found to produce polarization dependent shifts as large as 1 MHz. Our results resolve large discrepancies among previous experiments and between all experiments and theory. The fine-structure splittings for ⁶Li and ⁷Li are 10052.837(22) MHz and 10053.435(21) MHz. The splitting isotope shift is 0.599(30) MHz, in reasonable agreement with recent theoretical calculations.

Near resonance charge exchange in ion-atom collisions of lithium isotopes

Collisions of ions and atoms of (6)Li and (7)Li are explored theoretically over a wide range of energy from 10(-14) to 1 eV. Accurate ab initio calculations are carried out of the Born-Oppenheimer potentials and the nonadiabatic couplings that are responsible for the near resonance charge exchange. Scattering studies show that the calculated charge exchange cross section follows Wigner's law for inelastic processes for energies below 10(-10) eV and that the zero temperature rate constant for it is 2.1 x 10(-9) cm(3) s(-1). At collision energies much larger than the isotope shift of the ionization potentials of the atoms, we show that the near resonance charge exchange process is equivalent to the resonance charge exchange with cross sections having a logarithmic dependence on energy. A comparison with the Langevin model at intermediate energies is also presented.

Nuclear charge radii of 7,9,10Be and the one-neutron halo nucleus 11Be

Nuclear charge radii of ;{7,9,10,11}Be have been determined by high-precision laser spectroscopy. On-line measurements were performed with collinear laser spectroscopy in the 2s_{1/2}-->2p_{1/2} transition on a beam of Be+ ions. Collinear and anticollinear laser beams were used simultaneously, and the absolute frequency determination using a frequency comb yielded an accuracy in the isotope-shift measurements of about 1 MHz. Combining this with accurate calculations of the mass-dependent isotope shifts yields nuclear charge radii. The charge radius decreases from 7Be to 10Be and then increases for the halo nucleus 11Be. When comparing our results with predictions of ab initio nuclear-structure calculations we find good agreement. Additionally, the nuclear magnetic moment of 7Be was determined to be -1.3995(5)micro_{N} and that of 11Be was confirmed with an accuracy similar to previous beta-NMR measurements.

First Penning-trap mass measurement of the exotic halo nucleus 11Li

In this Letter, we report a new mass for 11Li using the trapping experiment TITAN at TRIUMF's ISAC facility. This is by far the shortest-lived nuclide, t_{1/2}=8.8 ms, for which a mass measurement has ever been performed with a Penning trap. Combined with our mass measurements of ;{8,9}Li we derive a new two-neutron separation energy of 369.15(65) keV: a factor of 7 more precise than the best previous value. This new value is a critical ingredient for the determination of the halo charge radius from isotope-shift measurements. We also report results from state-of-the-art atomic-physics calculations using the new mass and extract a new charge radius for 11Li. This result is a remarkable confluence of nuclear and atomic physics.