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arXiv:1203.1978 · Physical Review A

Coherent excitation of the 6S1/2 to 5D3/2 electric-quadrupole transition in 138 Ba +

Adam Kleczewski, Matthew Hoffman, Jeff A. Sherman, Eric Magnuson, B. B. Blinov, E. Norval Fortson

Published Apr 20, 2012• 14 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The electric dipole-forbidden, quadrupole $6{S}_{1/2}\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}5{D}_{3/2}$ transition in Ba${}^{+}$ near 2051 nm, with a natural linewidth of 13 mHz, is attractive for potential observation of parity nonconservation, and also as a clock transition for a barium ion optical frequency standard. This transition also offers a direct means of populating the metastable $5{D}_{3/2}$ state to measure the nuclear magnetic octupole moment in the odd barium isotopes. Light from a diode-pumped, solid-state Tm,Ho:YLF laser operating at 2051 nm is used to coherently drive this transition between resolved Zeeman levels in a single trapped ${}^{138}$Ba${}^{+}$ ion. The frequency of the laser is stabilized to a high-finesse Fabry-P\'erot cavity at 1025 nm after being frequency doubled. Rabi oscillations on this transition indicate a laser-ion coherence time of 3 ms, most likely limited by ambient magnetic field fluctuations.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.85.043418

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The electric dipole-forbidden, quadrupole 6S1/2\ensuremath↔5D3/26{S}_{1/2}\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}5{D}_{3/2}6S1/2​\ensuremath↔5D3/2​ transition in Ba+{}^{+}+ near 2051 nm, with a natural linewidth of 13 mHz, is attractive for potential observation of parity nonconservation, and also as a clock transition for a barium ion optical frequency standard. This transition also offers a direct means of populating the metastable 5D3/25{D}_{3/2}5D3/2​ state to measure the nuclear magnetic octupole moment in the odd barium isotopes. Light from a diode-pumped, solid-state Tm,Ho:YLF laser operating at 2051 nm is used to coherently drive this transition between resolved Zeeman levels in a single trapped 138{}^{138}138Ba+{}^{+}+ ion. The frequency of the laser is stabilized to a high-finesse Fabry-P'erot cavity at 1025 nm after being frequency doubled. Rabi oscillations on this transition indicate a laser-ion coherence time of 3 ms, most likely limited by ambient magnetic field fluctuations.
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We explore the potential of the electric quadrupole transitions 7s2S1/27s {}^{2}{S}_{1/2}7s2S1/2​-6d2D3/26d {}^{2}{D}_{3/2}6d2D3/2​, 6d2D5/26d {}^{2}{D}_{5/2}6d2D5/2​ in radium isotopes as single-ion optical frequency standards. The frequency shifts of the clock transitions due to external fields and the corresponding uncertainties are calculated. Several competitive A{}^{A}ARa+{}^{+}+ candidates, with A=A=A= 223--229, are identified. In particular, we show that the transition 7s2S1/2(F=2,mF=0)7s {}^{2}{S}_{1/2} (F=2,{m}_{F}=0)7s2S1/2​(F=2,mF​=0)-6d2D3/2(F=0,mF=0)6d {}^{2}{D}_{3/2} (F=0,{m}_{F}=0)6d2D3/2​(F=0,mF​=0) at 828 nm in 223Ra^{223}\mathrm{Ra}223Ra+{}^{+}+, with no linear Zeeman and electric quadrupole shifts, stands out as a relatively simple case, which could be exploited as a compact, robust, and low-cost atomic clock operating at a fractional frequency uncertainty of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}17}$. With more experimental effort, the 223,225,226Ra^{223,225,226}\mathrm{Ra}223,225,226Ra+{}^{+}+ clocks could be pushed to a projected performance reaching the ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}18}$ level.
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