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arXiv:2006.14356 · Physical Review Letters

Coherent Excitation of the Highly Forbidden Electric Octupole Transition in Yb+172

Henning A. Fürst, Chih-Han Yeh, Dimitri Kalincev, A. P. Kulosa, Laura S. Dreissen, R. Lange, Erik Benkler, Nils Huntemann, E. Peik, T. E. Mehlstäubler

Published Oct 16, 2020• 24 citations
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Abstract

We report on the first coherent excitation of the highly forbidden ${^{2}S}_{1/2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{^{2}F}_{7/2}$ electric octupole (E3) transition in a single trapped $^{172}{\mathrm{Yb}}^{+}$ ion, an isotope without nuclear spin. Using the transition in $^{171}{\mathrm{Yb}}^{+}$ as a reference, we determine the transition frequency to be 642 116 784 950 887.6(2.4) Hz. We map out the magnetic field environment using the forbidden ${^{2}S}_{1/2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{^{2}D}_{5/2}$ electric quadrupole (E2) transition and determine its frequency to be 729 476 867 027 206.8(4.4) Hz. Our results are a factor of $1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{5}$ ($3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{5}$) more accurate for the E2 (E3) transition compared to previous measurements. The results open up the way to search for new physics via precise isotope shift measurements and improved tests of local Lorentz invariance using the metastable ${^{2}F}_{7/2}$ state of ${\mathrm{Yb}}^{+}$.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.125.163001

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We report the coherent excitation of the highly forbidden ^{2}S_{1/2}→^{2}F_{7/2} clock transition in the odd isotope ^{173}Yb^{+} with nuclear spin I=5/2, and reveal the hyperfine-state-dependent, nuclear-spin-induced quenching of this transition. The inferred lifetime of the F_{e}=4 hyperfine state is one order of magnitude shorter than the unperturbed ^{2}F_{7/2} clock state of ^{171}Yb^{+}. This reduced lifetime lowers the required optical power for coherent excitation of the clock transition, thereby reducing the ac Stark shift caused by the clock laser. Using a three-ion Coulomb crystal, we experimentally demonstrate an approximately twentyfold suppression of the ac Stark shift, a critical improvement for the scalability of future multi-ion Yb^{+} clocks. Furthermore, we report the |^{2}S_{1/2},F_{g}=3⟩→|^{2}F_{7/2},F_{e}=6⟩ unquenched reference transition frequency as 642.11917656354(43) THz, along with the measured hyperfine splitting and calculated quadratic Zeeman sensitivities of the ^{2}F_{7/2} clock state. Our results pave the way toward multi-ion optical clocks and quantum computers based on ^{173}Yb^{+}.
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 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.
The ${}^{2}{S}_{1/2}{(F=0)\ensuremath{-}}^{2}{F}_{7/2}(F=3)$ electric octupole transition in 171Yb+{}^{171}{\mathrm{Yb}}^{+}171Yb+ has been detected by observing quantum jumps in the fluorescence of a single ion held in an electrodynamic trap. The transition frequency has been measured as 642 121 498.1 (0.8) MHz. The extreme weakness of this transition makes it ideally suited as an optical frequency reference of subhertz linewidth. The absolute frequencies of a series of Doppler-free absorptions in tellurium vapor are also reported. One of these absorptions was used as a local frequency reference while locating the electric octupole transition.
Spectroscopy has been performed on $\mathrm{the}{}^{2}{S}_{1/2}(F=0,{m}_{F}{=0)\ensuremath{-}}^{2}{F}_{7/2}{(F=3,m}_{F}=0)$ electric octupole transition in 171Yb+{}^{171}{\mathrm{Yb}}^{+}171Yb+ with kilohertz resolution. A quantum jump rate of more than one per second has been achieved, a factor of 100 improvement on previous work. Spectra including the sidebands at the trap secular frequency show the ion to be in the Lambe-Dicke regime and hence the Doppler effect has been eliminated to first order. The dynamic Stark shift is a significant perturbation to the frequency because of the high intensity required to drive the octupole transition. It has been measured as ${42}_{\ensuremath{-}10}^{+12} \ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{Hz}{\mathrm{W}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}{\mathrm{m}}^{2}$ and with further reduction in the probe laser linewidth, it should be possible to reduce the relative uncertainty in this shift to the parts in 1018{10}^{18}1018 level. The transition is free from the Zeeman effect to first order and has a measured second-order shift of $1.9(3) \mathrm{mHz}(\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{T}{)}^{\ensuremath{-}2}.$ It should be possible to reduce the relative uncertainty in this shift to below the part in 1018{10}^{18}1018 level. The electric quadrupole shift may be the limiting systematic effect, but cannot yet be observed with the current resolution on the transition.
We report on precision laser spectroscopy of the ${^{2}S}_{1/2}(F=0)\text{\ensuremath{-}}{^{2}F}_{7/2}(F=3,{m}_{F}=0)$ clock transition in a single ion of 171Yb+{^{171}\text{Y}\text{b}}^{+}171Yb+. A linewidth of <40 Hz<40\text{ }\text{Hz}<40 Hz is observed and frequency instability due to fluctuation of the ac Stark shift is reduced through improved stability of the beam alignment. The absolute value of the transition frequency, determined using an optical frequency comb, is $642\text{ }121\text{ }496\text{ }772\text{ }657\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}12\text{ }\text{Hz}$ with a fractional uncertainty of $2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}14}$. This is a factor of 50 better than the previously published value [Hosaka et al., IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas. 54, 759 (2005)].