High precision measurement of the static dipole polarizability of cesium

The cesium 6S_1/2 scalar dipole polarizability alpha_0 has been determined from the time-of-flight of laser cooled and launched cesium atoms traveling through an electric field. We find alpha_0 = 6.611+-0.009 x 10^-39 C m^2/V= 59.42+-0.08 x 10^-24 cm^3 = 401.0+-0.6 a_0^3. The 0.14% uncertainty is a factor of fourteen improvement over the previous measurement. Values for the 6P_1/2 and 6P_3/2 lifetimes and the 6S_1/2 cesium-cesium dispersion coefficient C_6 are determined from alpha_0 using the procedure of Derevianko and Porsev [Phys. Rev. A 65, 053403 (2002)].