Highly Charged Ions for Atomic Clocks, Quantum Information, and Search for $\alpha$ variation

We propose 10 highly charged ions as candidates for the development of next generation atomic clocks, quantum information, and search for $\alpha$ variation. They have long-lived metastable states with transition wavelengths to the ground state between 170–3000 nm, relatively simple electronic structure, stable isotopes, and high sensitivity to $\alpha$ variation (e.g., ${\mathrm{Sm}}^{14+}$, ${\mathrm{Pr}}^{10+}$, ${\mathrm{Sm}}^{13+}$, ${\mathrm{Nd}}^{10+}$). We predict their properties crucial for the experimental exploration and highlight particularly attractive systems for these applications.

Figure 1

Energy levels and radiative lifetimes of low-lying levels of Sn-like ${\mathrm{Pr}}^{9+}$.