Magnetic Dipolar Interaction between Hyperfine Clock States in a Planar Alkali Bose Gas

Area of Science:

• Atomic physics
• Quantum mechanics
• Metrology

Background:

• Atomic clock states possess zero total angular momentum, rendering them insensitive to magnetic fields.
• These nonmagnetic states are crucial for precision measurements in atomic fountains and gravimeters.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate magnetic dipole-dipole interactions between two nonmagnetic atomic clock states.
• To explore the tunable and effective isotropic character of these interactions.
• To constrain s-wave scattering lengths involving clock states.

Main Methods:

• High-resolution spectroscopy of a planar gas of Rubidium-87 atoms.
• Controlled manipulation of the in-plane shape of the atomic gas.
• Analysis of magnetic dipole-dipole interactions in mixed clock states.

Main Results:

• Observed magnetic dipole-dipole interactions in mixed clock states comparable to Zeeman states.
• Demonstrated the tunability of these interactions.
• Established strong constraints on the relative s-wave scattering lengths (a_ij) between clock states.

Conclusions:

• Nonmagnetic atomic clock states exhibit significant magnetic interactions when mixed.
• These interactions are tunable and possess effective isotropic and extensive properties.
• Findings impact the use of clock states in metrology and atomic interaction studies.