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arXiv:1506.09079 · Europhysics Letters (EPL)

Optimized geometries for future generation optical lattice clocks

Sebastian Krämer, Laurin Ostermann, Helmut Ritsch

Published Apr 1, 2016• 51 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Atoms deeply trapped in magic wavelength optical lattices provide a Doppler- and collision-free dense ensemble of quantum emitters ideal for high-precision spectroscopy and they are the basis of some of the best optical atomic clocks to date. However, despite their minute optical dipole moments the inherent long-range dipole-dipole interactions in such lattices still generate line shifts, dephasing and modified decay. We show that in a perfectly filled lattice line shifts and decay are resonantly enhanced depending on the lattice constant and geometry. Potentially, this yields clock shifts of many atomic linewidths and reduces the measurement by optimizing the lattice geometry. Such collective effects can be tailored to yield zero effective shifts and prolong dipole lifetimes beyond the single-atom decay. In particular, we identify dense 2D hexagonal or square lattices as the most promising configurations for an accuracy and precision well below the independent ensemble limit. This geometry should also be an ideal basis for related applications such as superradiant lasers, precision magnetometry or long-lived quantum memories.

DOI
10.1209/0295-5075/114/14003

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Atoms deeply trapped in magic wavelength optical lattices provide a Doppler- and collision-free dense ensemble of quantum emitters ideal for high-precision spectroscopy and they are the basis of some of the best optical atomic clocks to date. However, despite their minute optical dipole moments the inherent long-range dipole-dipole interactions in such lattices still generate line shifts, dephasing and modified decay. We show that in a perfectly filled lattice line shifts and decay are resonantly enhanced depending on the lattice constant and geometry. Potentially, this yields clock shifts of many atomic linewidths and reduces the measurement by optimizing the lattice geometry. Such collective effects can be tailored to yield zero effective shifts and prolong dipole lifetimes beyond the single-atom decay. In particular, we identify dense 2D hexagonal or square lattices as the most promising configurations for an accuracy and precision well below the independent ensemble limit. This geometry should also be an ideal basis for related applications such as superradiant lasers, precision magnetometry or long-lived quantum memories.
An ideal superradiant laser on an optical clock transition of noninteracting cold atoms is predicted to exhibit an extreme frequency stability and accuracy far below mHz-linewidth. In any concrete setup sufficiently many atoms have to be confined and pumped within a finite cavity mode volume. Using a magic wavelength lattice minimizes light shifts and allows for almost uniform coupling to the cavity mode. Nevertheless, the atoms are subject to dipole-dipole interaction and collective spontaneous decay which compromises the ultimate frequency stability. In the high density limit the Dicke superradiant linewidth enhancement will broaden the laser line and nearest neighbor couplings will induce shifts and fluctuations of the laser frequency. We estimate the magnitude and scaling of these effects by direct numerical simulations of few atom systems for different geometries and densities. For Strontium in a regularly filled magic wavelength configuration atomic interactions induce small laser frequency shifts only and collective spontaneous emission weakly broadens the laser. These interactions generally enhance the laser sensitivity to cavity length fluctuations but for optimally chosen operating conditions can lead to an improved synchronization of the atomic dipoles.
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A microwave atomic clock scheme based on Rb and Cs atoms trapped in optical lattice with magic wavelength for clock transition is proposed. The ac Stark shift of clock transition due to trapping laser can be canceled at some specific laser wavelengths. Comparing with in fountain clock, the cavity related shifts, the collision shift, and the Doppler effect are eliminated or suppressed dramatically in atomic clock when the magic optical lattice is exploited. By carefully analyzing various sources of clock uncertainty, we conclude that a microwave atomic clock with an accuracy of better than 2×10−172\times10^{-17}2×10−17 is feasible, which is of the same accuracy as the expected best optical atomic clock.
To date, optical clocks based on singly trapped ions and ultracold neutral atoms trapped in the Stark-shift-free optical lattices are regarded as promising candidates for future atomic clocks. Since 2006, “optical lattice clocks” have been evaluated close to the Cs clocks' uncertainty limit internationally. One of the essential experimental challenges in the development of “optical lattice clocks” is to find out the better lattice geometries as well as interrogated atom species (including their quantum statistics) that bring out the potential performance of the clock scheme, taking into account the collisional frequency shift, the Black body radiation (BBR) shift, the atomic multipolar and hyperpolarizability effects.
Optical clocks benefit from tight atomic confinement enabling extended interrogation times as well as Doppler- and recoil-free operation. However, these benefits come at the cost of frequency shifts that, if not properly controlled, may degrade clock accuracy. Numerous theoretical studies have predicted optical lattice clock frequency shifts that scale nonlinearly with trap depth. To experimentally observe and constrain these shifts in an ^{171}Yb optical lattice clock, we construct a lattice enhancement cavity that exaggerates the light shifts. We observe an atomic temperature that is proportional to the optical trap depth, fundamentally altering the scaling of trap-induced light shifts and simplifying their parametrization. We identify an "operational" magic wavelength where frequency shifts are insensitive to changes in trap depth. These measurements and scaling analysis constitute an essential systematic characterization for clock operation at the 10^{-18} level and beyond.
Frequency metrology underpins precise measurements. At the forefront of this field are optical clocks which can perform measurements that are accurate to more digits than those in the number representing seconds elapsed from the beginning of the universe. Frequency estimation errors in the operation of optical clocks lead to frequency instability, prohibiting them from reaching high accuracies on short to medium time scales, and limiting access to interesting measurements of the atomic environment and exotic external perturbations such as gravity fields or fields of fundamentally new physical origins. Optical lattice traps are typically employed in state-of-the-art optical clocks to suppress Doppler effects. By carefully tuning the optical lattice to the magic wavelength, unwanted Stark shifts can be suppressed significantly, allowing operation with thousands of atoms and minimising the fundamental source of frequency estimation errors, namely the quantum projection noise, to around 3 × 10−17 at 1 s. In this thesis, the status of the two Strontium optical lattice clocks at NPL, Sr1 and Sr2, is presented going over a few interesting measurement campaigns from the past years involving Sr1 and the latest experimental efforts to re-enable operation of Sr2. A model of clock stability is developed by incorporating known and new frameworks to characterise the relation between the operating parameters of optical clocks and their performance, with relevance to the NPL lattice clocks and beyond. In particular, a method is identified for addressing the main technical noise for optical lattice clocks, the Dick effect, which typically has a magnitude of 10−16 at 1 s and prevents optical lattice clocks from reaching the quantum projection noise level. By taking advantage of dynamical decoupling we can engineer an optimised duty cycle with benefits in general for systems limited by the optical coherence of the clock laser. Moreover, a study of other noise sources in the NPL lattice clocks is conducted using synchronous measurements between Sr1 and Sr2, revealing a large contribution from linear Zeeman shifts, also at the 10−16 level, and a plan to tackle them is detailed. A hybrid clock architecture is discussed showing how optical lattice clocks can improve the optical coherence of ion clocks thanks to their higher servo rate, and a preliminary experimental demonstration is reported. Finally, a new type of spectroscopy is presented which completely avoids aliasing of linear Zeeman shifts by simultaneously driving transitions with opposite Zeeman sensitivities. Such a technique also enables the continuous interrogation of atoms, a crucial missing component in the Dick-free conveyor belt lattice clock concept heralded as the next standard of stable optical clocks.