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arXiv · 0905.4780

Mapping out atom-wall interaction with atomic clocks

A. Derevianko·B. Obreshkov·V. A. Dzuba
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Abstract

We explore a feasibility of measuring atom-wall interaction using atomic clocks based on atoms trapped in engineered optical lattices. Optical lattice is normal to the wall. By monitoring the wall-induced clock shift at individual wells of the lattice, one would measure a dependence of the atom-wall interaction on the atom-wall separation. We rigorously evaluate the relevant clock shifts and show that the proposed scheme may uniquely probe the long-range atom-wall interaction in all three qualitatively-distinct regimes of the interaction: van der Waals (image-charge interaction), Casimir-Polder (QED vacuum fluctuations) and Lifshitz (thermal bath fluctuations). The analysis is carried out for atoms Mg, Ca, Sr, Cd, Zn, and Hg, with a particular emphasis on Sr clock.

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A. Derevianko, B. Obreshkov, V. A. Dzuba. 2009-05-29. Mapping out atom-wall interaction with atomic clocks. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.103.133201

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