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arXiv:1905.04976 · Physical Review A

Polarizability assessments of ion-based optical clocks

M. D. Barrett, K. J. Arnold, Marianna S. Safronova

Published Oct 24, 2019• 23 citations
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Abstract

It is shown that the dynamic differential scalar polarizability of the ${S}_{1/2}\ensuremath{-}{D}_{5/2}$ transition in $^{138}\mathrm{Ba}^{+}$ can be determined to an inaccuracy below $0.5%$ across a wide wavelength range ($\ensuremath{\lambda}>700\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$). This can be achieved using measurements for which accurate determination of laser intensity is not required, and most of the required measurements are already in the literature. Measurement of a laser-induced ac-Stark shift of the clock transition would then provide an in situ measurement of the laser's intensity to the same $0.5%$ level of inaccuracy, which is not easily achieved by other means. This would allow accurate polarizability measurements for clock transitions in other ions, through comparison with $^{138}\mathrm{Ba}^{+}$. The approach would be equally applicable to ${\mathrm{Sr}}^{+}$ and ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{+}$, with the latter being immediately applicable to ${\mathrm{Al}}^{+}/{\mathrm{Ca}}^{+}$ quantum logic clocks.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.100.043418

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It is shown that the dynamic differential scalar polarizability of the S1/2\ensuremath−D5/2{S}_{1/2}\ensuremath{-}{D}_{5/2}S1/2​\ensuremath−D5/2​ transition in 138Ba+^{138}\mathrm{Ba}^{+}138Ba+ can be determined to an inaccuracy below 0.50.5%0.5 across a wide wavelength range (\ensuremathλ>700nm\ensuremath{\lambda}>700\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}\ensuremathλ>700nm). This can be achieved using measurements for which accurate determination of laser intensity is not required, and most of the required measurements are already in the literature. Measurement of a laser-induced ac-Stark shift of the clock transition would then provide an in situ measurement of the laser's intensity to the same 0.50.5%0.5 level of inaccuracy, which is not easily achieved by other means. This would allow accurate polarizability measurements for clock transitions in other ions, through comparison with 138Ba+^{138}\mathrm{Ba}^{+}138Ba+. The approach would be equally applicable to Sr+{\mathrm{Sr}}^{+}Sr+ and Ca+{\mathrm{Ca}}^{+}Ca+, with the latter being immediately applicable to Al+/Ca+{\mathrm{Al}}^{+}/{\mathrm{Ca}}^{+}Al+/Ca+ quantum logic clocks.
The zero crossing of the dynamic differential scalar polarizability of the ${S}_{1/2}\ensuremath{-}{D}_{5/2}$ clock transition in 138Ba+^{138}\mathrm{Ba}^{+}138Ba+ has been determined to be 459.1614(28)THz459.1614(28)\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{THz}459.1614(28)THz. Together with previously determined matrix elements and branching ratios, this tightly constrains the dynamic differential scalar polarizability of the clock transition over a large wavelength range ($\ensuremath{\gtrsim}700\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$). In particular, it allows an estimate of the blackbody radiation shift of the clock transition at room temperature.
Zero crossings of the differential scalar polarizability of Ba+^++ clock transition
The differential scalar polarizability Δα0(ω)Δα_0(ω)Δα0​(ω) of the Ba+^++ S1/2_{1/2}1/2​-to-D5/2_{5/2}5/2​ clock transition has a zero crossing near 481nm, which is measured to be 623.603\,13(17)\,THz. From this measurement, we infer a ratio of reduced matrix elements ⟨P3/2∥r∥S1/2⟩/⟨P1/2∥r∥S1/2⟩=1.411 81(13)\langle P_{3/2}\|r\|S_{1/2}\rangle/\langle P_{1/2}\|r\|S_{1/2}\rangle=1.411\,81(13)⟨P3/2​∥r∥S1/2​⟩/⟨P1/2​∥r∥S1/2​⟩=1.41181(13), which provides a stringent test of atomic structure calculations and experimental determination of matrix elements. Additionally, it enables the construction of an accurate approximation to Δα0(ω)Δα_0(ω)Δα0​(ω), valid for frequencies up to 450\,THz, with only one reduced matrix element, ⟨P1/2∥r∥S1/2⟩\langle P_{1/2}\|r\|S_{1/2}\rangle⟨P1/2​∥r∥S1/2​⟩, appearing in the model's parameterization. We discuss the achievable accuracy of the model, the application to the assessment of blackbody radiation (BBR) shifts in ion-based clocks, and the applicability of the approach to other alkaline-earth ions.
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Optical atomic clocks based on trapped ions suffer from systematic frequency shifts of the clock transition due to interaction with blackbody radiation from the environment. These shifts can be compensated if the blackbody radiation spectrum and the differential dynamic polarizability is known to a sufficient precision. Here, we present a new measurement scheme, based on quantum logic that allows a direct transfer of precision for polarizability measurements from one species to the other. This measurement circumvents the necessity of calibrating laser power below the percent level, which is the limitation for state-of-the-art polarizability measurements in trapped ions. Furthermore, the presented technique allows one to reference the polarizability transfer to hydrogenlike ions for which the polarizability can be calculated with high precision.
A recent comparison between two trapped-ion 88 Sr + optical clocks at the UK. National Physical Laboratory demonstrated agreement to 4 parts in 10 17 . One of the uncertainty contributions to the optical clock absolute frequency arises from the blackbody radiation shift which in turn depends on uncertainty in the knowledge of the differential polarisability between the two clocks states. Whilst a recent NRC measurement has determined the DC differential polarisability to high accuracy, there has been no experimental verification to date of the dynamic correction to the DC Stark shift. We report a measurement of the scalar AC Stark shift at 1064 nm with measurements planned at other wavelengths. Our preliminary result using a fibre laser at 1064 nm agrees with calculated values to within ∼3%.
We have carried out calculations towards the goal of reducing the inaccuracy of the Sr optical atomic clock to $1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}17}$ and below. In particular, we focused on ac polarizabilities of the 5s25{s}^{2}5s2 1S0^{1}S_{0}1S0​ and 5s5p5s5p5s5p 3P0o^{3}P_{0}^{o}3P0o​ clock states that are important for reducing the uncertainty of black-body radiation-induced frequency shifts for the $^{1}S_{0}\text{\ensuremath{-}}^{3}P_{0}^{o}$ clock transition. Four low-lying even-parity states have been identified, whose total contribution to the static polarizability of the 3P0o^{3}P_{0}^{o}3P0o​ clock state is at the level of 90%. We show that if the contribution of these states is experimentally known with 0.1% accuracy, the same accuracy can be achieved for the total polarizability of the 3P0o^{3}P_{0}^{o}3P0o​ state. The corresponding uncertainty for the blackbody shift at a fixed room temperature will be below $1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}17}$. The calculations are confirmed by a number of experimental measurements on various Sr properties.