Using optical clock transitions in Cu ii and Yb iii for timekeeping and search for new physics

Saleh O. Allehabi, V. A. Dzuba, and V. V. Flambaum

Phys. Rev. A 104, 053109 – Published 17 November 2021

Abstract

We study the ${}^{1}S_{0} - {}^{3}D_{2}$ and ${}^{1}S_{0} - {}^{3}D_{3}$ transitions in Cu ii and the ${}^{1}S_{0} - {}^{3}P_{2}^{o}$ transition in Yb iii as possible candidates for the optical clock transitions. A recently developed version of the configuration interaction method, designed for a large number of electrons above the closed-shell core, is used to carry out the calculation. We calculate excitation energies, transition rates, lifetimes, and scalar static polarizabilities of the ground, clock states, and blackbody radiation shift. We demonstrate that the considered transitions have all features of the clock transition leading to prospects of highly accurate measurements. A search for new physics, such as time variation of the fine-structure constant, is also investigated.