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Quadrupole Transition Spectrum Measurement of Single Ca+ Ions Toward Optical Frequency Standards

Kensuke Matsubara, Ying Li, Kyoya Fukuda, Hiroyuki Ito, Shigeo Nagano, Masatoshi Kajita, Kazuhiro Hayasaka, Shinji Urabe, Mizuhiko Hosokawa

Published Dec 9, 2006• 0 citations
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Abstract

The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology in Japan is proceeding with development of an optical frequency standard using an electric quadrupole transition of Ca+ ions in a small radio-frequency trap. The single, trapped 40Ca+ ions are laser cooled to a temperature of <10 mK using extended-cavity diode lasers at 397 nm and 866 nm. In order to measure the electric quadrupole transition, the linewidth of the clock laser diode at 729 nm is reduced to ~66 Hz using an ultra-low-expansion (ULE) cavity. We observed the electric quadrupole transition with a linewidth of ~600 kHz, together with the ionic motional sidebands. We are also developing optical frequency combs without photonic fibers broadening the spectrum. The experimental is now improved in order to observe the narrower linewidth of the quadrupole transition.

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Experimental research toward the realization of an optical frequency standard of high accuracy is briefly reviewed. The studies concentrated on single, laser-cooled ions since they offer several attractive features for the achievement of high accuracy. These features include long storage time which eliminates transit-time broadening, confinement that is nearly nonperturbative to the internal level structure of the ion, laser-cooling that reduces motional shifts to small values, and electron-shelving whereby transitions to long-lived states can be detected with unit probability. The authors studied spectroscopically the electric-quadrupole allowed transition at 282 nm in a single, laser-cooled /sup 199/Hg/sup +/ ion stored in an RF Paul trap with extremely high resolution. The measured linewidth is limited by the spectral purity of the laser to about 80 Hz. Possible improvements and future directions are discussed.>

Joint Conference of the European Frequency and Time Forum and IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium (EFTF/IFCS)•Jan 1, 1991•8 citations
The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology in Japan is proceeding with development of an optical frequency standard using an electric quadrupole transition of Ca+ ions in a small radio-frequency trap. The single, trapped 40Ca+ ions are laser cooled to a temperature of <10 mK using extended-cavity diode lasers at 397 nm and 866 nm. In order to measure the electric quadrupole transition, the linewidth of the clock laser diode at 729 nm is reduced to ~66 Hz using an ultra-low-expansion (ULE) cavity. We observed the electric quadrupole transition with a linewidth of ~600 kHz, together with the ionic motional sidebands. We are also developing optical frequency combs without photonic fibers broadening the spectrum. The experimental is now improved in order to observe the narrower linewidth of the quadrupole transition.
Abstract —We are proceeding with a development of an optical frequency standard using a 2 S 1/2 – 2 D 5/2 electric quadrupole transition of Ca + ions in a small radio-frequency trap. We have theoretically confirmed that an uncertainty of <1 x 10 -15 is attainable in measurement of the 2 S 1/2 – 2 D 5/2 transition frequency. Experimentally, we have developed stable laser-diode systems and observed the quantum jump of single 40 Ca + ions to the 2 D 5/2 state. I. I NTRODUCTION The uncertainty of primary frequency standards using Cs atoms reaches around 10 -15 and the inherent limits involved in them are discussed. On the other hand, frequency standards using new materials and methods are proposed for developing more accurate frequency standards. Recently, several groups have measured frequencies of the ionic forbidden transitions in the optical region to apply them to the clock transitions of optical frequency standards [1]. We now proceeds with study on an optical frequency standard using single Ca
Summary form only given. Among the ions proposed for a frequency standard in the optical domain, Ca/sup +/ is one of the most favorable candidates due to its wavelengths accessible with all-solid-state laser systems. This allows to imagine an ultimate experimental setup being simple and compact. The 4S/sub 1/2/-3D/sub 5/2/ electric quadrupole transition at 729 nm with a natural linewidth below 1 Hz serves as clock transition, while laser cooling on one of the resonance lines is carried out at 397 nm. To obtain the small spectral linewidths necessary for a frequency standard performance, it is essential to reduce the residual Doppler broadening caused by the RF heating in the Paul trap. The first-order Doppler broadening of a single ion can be eliminated in the Lamb-Dicke regime where the ion's amplitude of motion is inferior to the emitted wavelength. The main condition for the access of this frequency modulation regime is a high motional frequency of the trapped ion. This is more easily obtained in a low capacitance device and thus traps with reduced dimensions are required. We have set up a miniature ion trap of the Paul-Straubel-type. The stored ions are observed by a photomultiplier in the photon-counting mode as well as by an intensified CCD camera, permitting the visualization of their spatial behavior. Laser cooling of the Ca/sup +/ ions is carried out on the 4S/sub 1/2/-4P/sup 1/2/ resonance line at 397 nm. Progress on the characterization of the trapped single ion as well as on the generation of the involved wavelengths exclusively by solid-state lasers is reported.
Research on the development of the optical frequency standard based on trapped and cold 40 Ca + with the 4s 2 S 1/2 -3d 2 D 5/2 clock transition at 729 nm is reported. A single calcium ion was trapped and laser cooled in the Paul trap and stay in trap for more than 15 days. The linewidth of a 729 nm laser was reduced to less than 10 Hz by locking to a cavity for longer than 50 hours uninterruptedly. The overall systematic uncertainty of the clock transition has been characterized to be better than 6.5×10 −16 . The absolute frequency of the clock transition was measured at 10 −15 level using an optical frequency comb referenced to a Hydrogen maser, which was calibrated to the SI second through the global positioning system (GPS). The frequency value was 411042129776393.0(1.6) Hz after the correction of the systematic shifts.
Experimental research toward the realization of an optical frequency standard of high accuracy is briefly reviewed. The studies concentrated on single, laser-cooled ions since they offer several attractive features for the achievement of high accuracy. These features include long storage time which eliminates transit-time broadening, confinement that is nearly nonperturbative to the internal level structure of the ion, laser-cooling that reduces motional shifts to small values, and electron-shelving whereby transitions to long-lived states can be detected with unit probability. The authors studied spectroscopically the electric-quadrupole allowed transition at 282 nm in a single, laser-cooled /sup 199/Hg/sup +/ ion stored in an RF Paul trap with extremely high resolution. The measured linewidth is limited by the spectral purity of the laser to about 80 Hz. Possible improvements and future directions are discussed.>