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arXiv:1412.5751 · Physical Review A

Doppler spectroscopy of an ytterbium Bose-Einstein condensate on the clock transition

Alexandre Dareau, Matthias Scholl, Quentin Beaufils, D. Döring, J. Beugnon, Fabrice Gerbier

Published Feb 24, 2015• 19 citations
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Abstract

We describe Doppler spectroscopy of Bose-Einstein condensates of ytterbium atoms using a narrow optical transition. We address the optical clock transition around 578 nm between the ${}^{1}{S}_{0}$ and the ${}^{3}{P}_{0}$ states with a laser system locked on a high-finesse cavity. We show how the absolute frequency of the cavity modes can be determined within a few tens of kilohertz using high-resolution spectroscopy on molecular iodine. We show that optical spectra reflect the velocity distribution of expanding condensates in free fall or after release inside an optical waveguide. We demonstrate subkilohertz spectral linewidths, with long-term drifts of the resonance frequency well below 1 kHz/h. These results open the way to high-resolution spectroscopy of many-body systems.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.91.023626

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We describe Doppler spectroscopy of Bose-Einstein condensates of ytterbium atoms using a narrow optical transition. We address the optical clock transition around 578 nm between the 1S0{}^{1}{S}_{0}1S0​ and the 3P0{}^{3}{P}_{0}3P0​ states with a laser system locked on a high-finesse cavity. We show how the absolute frequency of the cavity modes can be determined within a few tens of kilohertz using high-resolution spectroscopy on molecular iodine. We show that optical spectra reflect the velocity distribution of expanding condensates in free fall or after release inside an optical waveguide. We demonstrate subkilohertz spectral linewidths, with long-term drifts of the resonance frequency well below 1 kHz/h. These results open the way to high-resolution spectroscopy of many-body systems.
High-resolution laser spectroscopy of a Bose–Einstein condensate (BEC) was performed by using the ultranarrow magnetic quadrupole (6s 2 ) 1 S 0 ↔(6s6p) 3 P 2 transition of ytterbium (Yb). The transition from the Doppler-broadened spectrum of thermal atoms to the asymmetric spectrum, reflecting the inhomogeneous density distribution of a BEC in a harmonic trap, was observed. The role of the inter-atomic interaction was highlighted by performing spectroscopy of a BEC loaded in a one-dimensional (1D) optical lattice.
We demonstrate coherent Doppler-free three-photon excitation of the $^{1}S_{0}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{3}P_{0}$ optical clock transition and the $^{1}S_{0}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{3}P_{1}$ intercombination transition in free-space thermal clouds of 88Sr^{88}\mathrm{Sr}88Sr atoms. By appropriate orientation of the wave vectors of three lasers incident on the atoms, the first-order Doppler shift can be eliminated for all velocity classes. Three-photon excitation of the $^{1}S_{0}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{3}P_{1}$ transition enables high-contrast Ramsey spectroscopy with interrogation times comparable to the $21\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\textmu{}\mathrm{s}$ natural lifetime using a single near-resonant laser source. Three-photon spectroscopy on the $^{1}S_{0}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{3}P_{0}$ clock transition, using only laser frequencies nearly resonant with the $^{1}S_{0}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{3}P_{0}$ and $^{1}S_{0}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}^{3}P_{1}$ transitions, enables a reduction in Doppler broadening by two orders of magnitude and a corresponding $\ensuremath{\sim}470\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{Hz}$ linewidth without a confining potential.
A cavity-stabilized 578 nm laser is used to probe the clock transition of ytterbium atoms trapped in optical lattice sites. We obtain a Fourier-limited 4.2-Hz-linewidth Rabi spectrum and a Ramsey spectrum with fringe linewidth of 3.3 Hz. Based on one of the spectra, the 578 nm laser light is frequency-stabilized to the center of the transition to achieve a closed-loop operation of an optical clock. Based on interleaved measurement, the frequency instability of a single optical clock is demonstrated to be 5.4 × 10-16/√τ.
In this work I present the development of a new experiment to produce quantum degenerate gases of ytterbium. This project aims at realizing artificial gauge fields with ultracold atoms in optical lattices. Combining intense gauge fields with strong on-site interactions is expected to open a new area for ultracold quantum gases, where for instance the atomic analogs of fractional quantum Hall systems could be realized.First I describe the experimental methods for the production of a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) of 174Yb. This implies magneto-optical trapping on the 1S0-3P1 intercombination transition and a transport of the atomic cloud in an optical dipole trap over a distance of 22 cm. Evaporative cooling in a crossed dipole trap results in the production of pure BECs of about 6x10^4 atoms.The planned implementation of artificial gauge fields requires the coherent driving of the 1S0-3P0 clock transition of ytterbium. For this purpose an ultrastable laser system at 578 nm, frequency locked to an ultralow expansion (ULE) cavity, has been realized. A precise determination of the temperature zero-crossing point of the ULE cavity allowed us to limit laser frequency drifts below 100 mHz/s. Spectroscopic measurements of the clock transition on a trapped and free falling BEC are presented, where typical linewidths in the kHz range are observed, limited by interatomic interactions. Finally I present a detailed discussion of the methods to achieve artificial gauge fields in optical lattices and their possible experimental implementation. This includes a scheme to realize a bichromatic state-dependent optical superlattice in a doubly-resonant cavity.
An ultra-narrow spectroscopy of clock transition with high signal-to-noise ratio is crucial for a high-performance atomic optical clock. We present a detailed study about how to obtain a Hertz-level clock transition spectrum of 171 Yb atoms. About 4 × 10 4 atoms are loaded into a one-dimensional optical lattice with a magic wavelength of 759 nm, and a long lifetime of 3 s is realized with the lattice power of 1 W. Through normalized shelving detection and spin polarization, 171 Yb clock spectroscopy with a Fourier-limited linewidth of 5.9 Hz is obtained. Our work represents a key step toward an ytterbium optical clock with high frequency stability.