Tune-out wavelengths for the alkaline earth atoms

TL;DR

This paper calculates the lowest three tune-out wavelengths for four alkaline-earth atoms using first-principles methods, providing data that can help relate atomic oscillator strengths to polarizability.

Contribution

It provides the first-principles calculations of tune-out wavelengths for Be, Mg, Ca, and Sr, linking these to atomic transition properties.

Findings

Tune-out wavelengths are near specific atomic excitations.

Calculated wavelengths for Be, Mg, Ca, Sr are provided.

These wavelengths can help determine atomic oscillator strengths.

Abstract

The lowest 3 tune-out wavelengths of the four alkaline-earth atoms, Be, Mg, Ca and Sr are determined from tabulations of matrix elements produced from large first principles calculations. The tune-out wavelengths are located near the wavelengths for $^3P^o_1$ and $^1P^o_1$ excitations. The measurement of the tune-out wavelengths could be used to establish a quantitative relationship between the oscillator strength of the transition leading to existence of the tune-out wavelength and the dynamic polarizability of the atom at the tune-out frequency. The longest tune-out wavelengths for Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba and Yb are 454.9813 nm, 457.2372 nm, 657.446 nm, 689.200 nm, 788.875 nm and 553.00 nm respectively.