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arXiv:1603.05816 · Journal of Physics Conference Series

Compact Yb+optical atomic clock project: design principle and current status

Clément Lacroûte, Maël Souidi, Pierre-Yves Bourgeois, Jacques Millo, Khaldoun Saleh, Emmanuel Bigler, Rodolphe Boudot, V. Giordano, Y. Kersalé

Published Jun 1, 2016• 20 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We present the design of a compact optical clock based on the 2 S 1/2 → 2 D 3/2 435.5 nm transition in 171 Yb + . The ion trap will be based on a micro-fabricated circuit, with surface electrodes generating a trapping potential to localize a single Yb ion a few hundred μ m from the electrodes. We present our trap design as well as simulations of the resulting trapping pseudo-potential. We also present a compact, multi-channel wavelength meter that will permit the frequency stabilization of the cooling, repumping and clear-out lasers at 369.5 nm, 935.2 nm and 638.6 nm needed to cool the ion. We use this wavelength meter to characterize and stabilize the frequency of extended cavity diode lasers at 369.5 nm and 638.6 nm.

DOI
10.1088/1742-6596/723/1/012025

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•Jan 1, 2016•0 citations
We present the design of a compact optical clock based on the 2 S 1/2 → 2 D 3/2 435.5 nm transition in 171 Yb + . The ion trap will be based on a micro-fabricated circuit, with surface electrodes generating a trapping potential to localize a single Yb ion a few hundred μ m from the electrodes. We present our trap design as well as simulations of the resulting trapping pseudo-potential. We also present a compact, multi-channel wavelength meter that will permit the frequency stabilization of the cooling, repumping and clear-out lasers at 369.5 nm, 935.2 nm and 638.6 nm needed to cool the ion. We use this wavelength meter to characterize and stabilize the frequency of extended cavity diode lasers at 369.5 nm and 638.6 nm.
Outline • Introduction• Why trapped ions for miniaturization?• Miniaturized vacuum package: 1 cm 3 • Pulsed-mode ion clock performance • F-state trapping • Current focus: microwave optical double resonance continuous operation • Alternative ion clock: Alkali Mediated Atomic Clock • Conclusion Miniaturization with Long-Term and Environmental Stability • Achieve Cs Beam Clock performance in a mass and power constrained package • DARPA programs: • IMPACT: improved long-term stability • ACES: improved environmental stability Applications--Excellent timing for: • Rapid GPS acquisition, and GPS denied navigation and timing • Nano/pico (cube) satellites • Pulsed radio and spread spectrum communications Microsemi 5071A Miniature primary frequency standard Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited Critical Elements of the 171 Yb + Clock Trap Electrodes Ions Yb Source Vacuum Package Control and Power Electronics Local Oscillator Magnetic Shield and Coil Repump (935 nm) Optical Pumping/ State Detection Laser (369 nm) Beam Combiner Fluorescence Collection Lens Fluorescence Detector Photo Multiplier Tube (PMT) Ionization UV Light
This project sets out to frequency stabilize external cavity diode lasers of wavelengths λ = 935 nm and 739 nm, with an eye to Ytterbium-171 ion trapping.The desired laser linewidths were below 1 MHz at 1 second observation time and the desired long term frequency drifts were below a megahertz over the course of a few hours.To stabilize the lasers, two Pound-Drever-Hall laser frequency stabilisation systems were designed, constructed and characterized.The optical frequency references used were sub-megahertz linewidth optical cavities with Invar spacers.These cavities were designed and constructed inhouse.The achieved long term stability of the stabilized lasers was 1 MHz/h over a 5 hour measurement period.The laser frequency long term stabilities are limited by the thermal stabilities of the cavity spacers.The post stabilisation laser frequency noise was lowered when compared to the free running lasers.This was observed by determining the laser frequency noise power spectral densities.From the frequency noise power spectral densities lower bounds on the locked laser linewidths were established.This lower bound is 11.92 kHz for the 739 nm wavelength laser at 1 second observation time and 5.4 kHz for the 935 nm wavelength laser.An additional system was designed and constructed ii
The 435 mum171Yb+transition is a good candidate for an atomic clock based on an optical transition. We have stored single171Yb ions for several months in RF traps. The ions are cooled, repumped and the clock transition is interrogated by (frequency-doubled) diode lasers. The interrogation laser linewidth was 30 Hz determining the resolvable linewidth of the Yb+transition interrogated. The absolute frequency of this transition was measured using an optical comb generator, self referenced by broadening the spectrum to above one octave, with respect to a Cs fountain clock. Of all systematic frequency shifts to which this transition is subject an estimate indicates that the electric quadruple shift appears is the largest. To obtain a magnitude of the quadruple shift (and the quadruple moment) the clock frequencies of two independently stored and cooled171Yb ions were compared while varying the static electric field in one trap. The measured frequency shift amounting to ~1 Hz/V. This result would seem to permit clocks with much higher accuracy than the clocks based on microwave transition, particularly if the technique of aligning the ions with respect to the electric field were applicable. Anticipating even more precise clocks, we are presently investigating a blue nuclear transition in229Th. Such a nuclear transition should be even better shielded from environmental influences than transitions in the electron shell. This nuclear transition has not yet been directly optically observed. We are presently investigating the luminescence after incoherent broad band optical excitation. The triply ionized223Th is then a suitable system for trapped single ion spectroscopy. The cooling transition lies conveniently in the near infrared and the nuclear clock transition can be read out by nuclear/electron shell double resonance
In this thesis, a transportable setup of an Yb atomic source for a lattice optical clock is built and characterized. All three laser setups for cooling and trapping the Yb atoms, together with the vacuum system, are contained on a transportable optical table. The preparation of the atomic sample before doing spectroscopy on the clock transition starts by slowing the atoms in the Zeeman slower. This is followed by trapping the atoms in the pre-cooling and the post-cooling MOTs, before loading the atoms into the optical lattice. Slowing and pre-cooling the atoms is done using the strong transition at 399 nm. This cools the atoms down to around a mK. To successfully load the atoms in the optical lattice, we have to cool the atoms further to beyond 50 μK. This is done by exciting the weak transition at 556 nm. The atoms that are transferred into the post-cooling stage are cooled down to a few tens of μK. The atoms are then ready to be loaded into the optical lattice at the magic wavelength. The amplified laser light at 760 nm inside the 1-D intra-vacuum cavity results in a lattice trapping potential of approximately 50 μK. A transfer efficiency, from the MOT into the optical lattice, of more than 25% was measured. The spectroscopy on the clock transition was done for 171Yb. A step-by-step mechanism was adopted, starting by exciting the forbidden transition at 578 nm inside the post-cooling stage MOT, by using the ”chopped-MOT” method. The 300 kHz Doppler-broadened line is then narrowed down to 3 kHz by switching on the light at 760 nm, while keeping the MOT on. The so-called ”chopped-lattice” technique helped suppress the Doppler-broadening; however the other effects due to the light and the magnetic fields of the MOT were still present. By switching off the MOT’s light and magnetic fields, the Yb atoms are completely trapped in the optical lattice. As a result, the FWHM of the spectroscopy line was reduced by a factor of 10.