atomic-physics

Suppose that one can have arbitrarily large nuclei made of stable $ud$-quark matter. At some large atomic number, the electrons will have a higher probability of being inside the nucleus than outside ...

The magnetic moment operator being $$\mu = -\frac{\mu_\text{B}}{\hbar}(L+2S),$$ a direct evaluation of its absolute value would be $$|\mu| = (\mu^2)^{1/2} = \frac{\mu_\text{B}}{\hbar}(L^2 + 4S^2 + ...

But O-1 has a flaw: it is only as good as its signal from the GPS satellites. Should the GPS transmissions, from which the one Hertz 1PPS pulse was synthesized, be unavailable, due to weather or what not, O-1 would be only as good as the standard quartz oscillator used by its Raspberry Pi 3. In time, O-1 would drift away from UTC. What good is that? What I needed was a better, more stable oscilla…

Ultraprecise atomic clocks could test the idea that time moves at multiple speeds.

His atomic model overturned all known rules about how nature works – bringing him on a direct collision course with one of the greatest geniuses ever.

At the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Colorado, a single aluminum ion hangs suspended in a trap, cooled to fractions of a degree above absolute zero. It is, in practical terms, as close to nothing as physics permits. And yet it is doing something. The ion is vibrating, jittering through space with the restlessness that quantum mechanics demands of everything, everywhere, always…

Although there are many variables in life, there's one metric by which our existence is...

Ionization potential of radium monofluoride The ionization potential (IP) of radium monofluoride (RaF) was measured to be 4.969(2)[10] eV, revealing a relativistic enhancement in the series of alkaline earth monofluorides. The results are in agreement with a relativistic coupled-cluster prediction of 4.981(7) eV, incorporating up to quantum electrodynamics corrections. Using the same computationa…

A neglected force produced by neutrinos and other particles helps atomic physics measurements align with predictions of the standard model.

Scientists have made the first experimental observation of matter wave diffraction in a short-lived electron-positron atom. A defining insight that sets quantum physics apart from classical physics is that matter behaves in unexpected ways at very small scales. One of the most important ideas to emerge was wave-particle duality, which shows that particles can also [...]

High angular momentum Rydberg atoms : the production and study Hulet, Randall Gardner. Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Physics, 1984; Includes bibliographical references.

Nature Communications, Published online: 11 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-69692-7 Current implementations of trapped atom interferometers are limited by the detrimental role of atomic interactions and trapping potential imperfections. To address these challenges, the authors develop a Mach-Zender atom interferometer by means of a double-well potential array, enabling trapped-atom-based gradi…

physics, mathematical physics, philosophy of physics theory (physics), model (physics) experiment, measurement, computable physics Axiomatizations Tools Structural phenomena Types of quantum field thories examples The Stern-Gerlach experiment showed that electrons are spinors. It was the first experimental observation of the elementary spin of fermions. Via the Pauli exclusion principle/spin-stat…

I recently finished my first course in atomic physics, but I don't really feel like I got a good understanding of what LS coupling actually is. At first, we talked about constants of motion and how LS coupling is where we assume that L and S have good quantum numbers, or something similar to... Read more

A new approach to measuring low-frequency electric fields is emerging from the study of Rydberg atom systems. Measuring low-frequency electric fields with high precision remains a significant challenge. Existing sensing technologies often cannot deliver traceability, compact design, and the ability to detect field direction all in one system. Rydberg atoms are gaining attention in electric-field …

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript. Atomic and molecular interactions with photons is the study of th…

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript. Atomic and molecular physics it the study of the properties, dyna…

First ever atomic movie reveals hidden driver of radiation damage - Date: - March 24, 2026 - Source: - Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society - Summary: - Researchers have visualized atoms in motion just before a radiation-driven decay process occurs, revealing a surprisingly dynamic scene. Instead of remaining fixed, the atoms roam and rearrange, directly influencing how and when the de…

Scientists are exploring a new type of optical atomic clock based on ytterbium-173 ions that could help define the future standard for measuring time. For decades, cesium atomic clocks have served as the global standard for precise timekeeping. However, scientists expect an even more precise technology to eventually take their place: optical atomic clocks. Within [...]

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript. Atomic and molecular collision processes are the physical interac…