Determination of quadrupolar dispersion coefficients of the alkali-metal atoms interacting with different material media

Abstract

In the present work, we determine the ${C}_{5}$ coefficients along with their uncertainties due to quadrupole polarization effects of all the alkali atoms interacting with a metal (Au), a semiconductor (Si), and four dielectric materials (${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}, {\mathrm{SiN}}_{x}$, yttrium aluminum garnet, and sapphire). The required dynamic electric quadrupole ($E2$) polarizabilities are evaluated by calculating $E2$ matrix elements of a large number of transitions in the alkali atoms by employing a relativistic coupled-cluster method. A significant contribution towards the long-range van der Waals potential is made by the quadrupole polarization effects. Our finding shows that contributions from the ${C}_{5}$ coefficients to the atom-wall interaction potentials are pronounced at short distances (1--10 nm). The ${C}_{3}$ coefficients of a Fr atom interacting with the above material media are also reported. These results could be useful in understanding the interactions of alkali atoms trapped in different material bodies during high-precision measurements.