Precision Measurement for Metastable Helium Atoms of the 413 nm Tune-Out Wavelength at Which the Atomic Polarizability Vanishes

26 May 2015  ·  Henson B. M., Khakimov R. I., Dall R. G., Baldwin K. G. H., Tang Li-Yan, Truscott A. G. ·

We present the first measurement for helium atoms of the tune-out wavelength at which the atomic polarizability vanishes. We utilise a novel, highly sensitive technique for precisely measuring the effect of variations in the trapping potential of confined metastable ($2^{3}S_{1}$) helium atoms illuminated by a perturbing laser light field. The measured tune-out wavelength of 413.0938($9_{Stat.}$)($20_{Syst.}$) nm compares well with the value predicted by a theoretical calculation (413.02(9) nm) which is sensitive to finite nuclear mass, relativistic, and quantum electro-dynamic (QED) effects. This provides motivation for more detailed theoretical investigations to test QED.

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Atomic Physics