Measurement of a helium tune-out frequency: an independent test of quantum electrodynamics

Abstract

Despite quantum electrodynamics (QED) being one of the most stringently tested theories underpinning modern physics, recent precision atomic spectroscopy measurements have uncovered several small discrepancies between experiment and theory. One particularly powerful experimental observable that tests QED independently of traditional energy level measurements is the `tune-out' frequency, where the dynamic polarizability vanishes and the atom does not interact with applied laser light. In this work, we measure the `tune-out' frequency for the $2^3{S}_1$ state of helium between transitions to the $2^{3}P$ and $3^{3}P$ manifolds and compare it to new theoretical QED calculations. The experimentally determined value of $725736700$$(40_{\mathrm{stat}},260_{\mathrm{syst}})$ MHz is within $\sim 1.7\sigma$ of theory ($725736252(9)$ MHz), and importantly resolves both the QED contributions ($\sim 30\sigma$) and novel retardation ($\sim 2\sigma$) corrections.

arXiv commentMain text 6 pages, 4 figures, SI 21 pages 11 figures. Changed title from "Precision Measurement of the Helium $2^3{S}_1-2^{3}P/3^{3}P$ Tune-Out Frequency as a Test of QED"

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• Relativistic hyperpolarizabilities for atomic H, Li, and Be${}^{+}$ systems
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