Eur. Phys. J. D 46, 415-424 (2008)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2007-00320-5

Long range interactions of the Mg⁺ and Ca⁺ ions

Faculty of Technology, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, 0909, Australia

Corresponding author: ^a jxm107@rsphysse.anu.edu.au

Received: 8 September 2007
Revised: 5 October 2007
Published online: 23 November 2007

Abstract

The polarizabilities of the low lying states of the Mg⁺ and Ca⁺ ions are evaluated by diagonalizing the semi-empirical Hamiltonians in a large dimension single electron basis. The quadrupole moment of the metastable 3d state Ca⁺ is also calculated and is within 1% of a recent experimental value while being 5% smaller than some large ab-initio calculations. In addition, the long range dispersion coefficients for these ions interacting with a number of atoms are given. Oscillator strengths are also given and generally agree with the most sophisticated ab-initio calculations. The polarizabilities and dispersion coefficients can be used to estimate the frequency shifts of the Ca⁺ 4s ↦ 3d clock transition due to background electric fields and also collisions with a buffer gas.