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Journal of Physics Conference Series

Zeeman splitting and Faraday rotation associated with Mn+ 7PJ←7S3absorption: Photon-trap spectroscopy and quantum-theory analysis

Akira Terasaki, T. Majima, Tamotsu Kondow

Published Sep 1, 2009• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

A novel experimental method is presented for detection of a trace of optical absorption of mass-selected ions stored in an ion trap. Photon-trap spectroscopy (a generalized scheme of cavity ring-down spectroscopy) is the key technique, where a storage lifetime of photons in a high-Q cavity provides a ppm-level high sensitivity. Experiment was performed on the manganese ion, Mn + , to record 7 P 2,3,4 ← 7 S 3 absorption spectra at around 260 nm. Zeeman splitting and Faraday rotation of the polarization plane were observed as well in the presence of a magnetic field. The high-resolution spectra show complex structures, which are fully interpreted by the quantum theory incorporating hyperfine interaction due to the Mn nuclear spin ( I = 5/2). The present technique provides a novel approach to electronic and magnetic structures of mass-selected atomic, molecular, and cluster ions.

DOI
10.1088/1742-6596/185/1/012045

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A novel experimental method is presented for detection of a trace of optical absorption of mass-selected ions stored in an ion trap. Photon-trap spectroscopy (a generalized scheme of cavity ring-down spectroscopy) is the key technique, where a storage lifetime of photons in a high-Q cavity provides a ppm-level high sensitivity. Experiment was performed on the manganese ion, Mn + , to record 7 P 2,3,4 ← 7 S 3 absorption spectra at around 260 nm. Zeeman splitting and Faraday rotation of the polarization plane were observed as well in the presence of a magnetic field. The high-resolution spectra show complex structures, which are fully interpreted by the quantum theory incorporating hyperfine interaction due to the Mn nuclear spin ( I = 5/2). The present technique provides a novel approach to electronic and magnetic structures of mass-selected atomic, molecular, and cluster ions.
A novel experimental technique has been developed to observe a trace of optical absorption of free mass-selected ions. The technique combines a linear radio-frequency ion trap with a high-finesse optical cavity to perform cavity ring-down spectroscopy (photon-trap spectroscopy for generality), where the storage lifetime of photons in the cavity provides a sensitivity high enough to probe the trapped ions. Absorption spectra of the manganese ion Mn(+) are presented, showing hyperfine structures for the (7)P(2,3,4)<--(7)S(3) transitions in the ultraviolet range. Implementation of a solenoidal magnet allows us to observe the Zeeman splitting and the Faraday rotation as well.
Optically active defects suspended in an inert solid are an interesting system for sensing and magnetometry at the nanometer scale, in addition to being a potential source of high-density, identical quantum emitters for quantum information. Beyond their response to external fields, the optical absorption and emission spectra also reflect information about the host matrix, which is critical to understand for either application. For the particular system of thulium atoms implanted in solid argon, high resolution laser spectroscopy reveals narrow ensemble linewidths of the 1140 nm f to f ground state spin-orbit transition, which is split due to crystal field effects and hyperfine coupling. Pump-probe spectroscopy is used to identify crystal field levels in at least two stable trapping sites, and the crystal field is determined to be nearly axial in both sites. Strong selection rules indicate that this transition becomes magnetic-electric in the argon host, most likely due to dielectric effects. In the presence of mT magnetic fields, Zeeman shifts are resolvable by laser fluorescence, allowing crystal axis selective polarized spectroscopy. These results show that all-optical detection schemes for DC magnetic fields are already possible with thulium-doped argon, and point towards more informed strategies for monitoring and improving crystal growth and annealing.
We present a quantum logic scheme to detect atomic and molecular ions in different states of angular momentum based on their magnetic ggg factors. The state-dependent magnetic ggg factors mean that electronic, rotational, or hyperfine states may be distinguished by their Zeeman splittings in a given magnetic field. Driving motional sidebands of a chosen Zeeman splitting enables reading out the corresponding state of angular momentum with an auxiliary logic ion. As a proof-of-principle demonstration, we show that we can detect the ground electronic state of a 174Yb+^{174}\mathrm{Yb}^{+}174Yb+ ion using 171Yb+^{171}\mathrm{Yb}^{+}171Yb+ as the logic ion. Further, we can distinguish between the 174Yb+^{174}\mathrm{Yb}^{+}174Yb+ ion being in its ground electronic state versus the metastable 2D3/2{}^{2}{D}_{3/2}2D3/2​ state. We discuss the suitability of this scheme for the detection of rotational states in molecular ions.
This thesis describes experimental work towards developing a trapped ion quantum information processor. An existing ion trap apparatus was capable of trapping and laser-cooling single ions or small ion strings of 40 Ca+, and had been used for studies of quantum jumps and natural lifetime measurements in Ca. This thesis describes improvements in this apparatus, which have allowed the stability and the flexibility of experimental control of the ions to be greatly increased. This enabled experiments to read out the spin state of a single trapped ion, and to load ions with isotope selectivity through photoionization. The optical systems were improved by installation of new lasers, optical reference cavities, and a system of acousto-optic modulators for laser intensity switching and frequency control. The photon counting for fluorescence detection was improved, and a new photon time-of-arrival correlation circuit developed. This has permitted rapid and more sensitive detection of micromotion, and hence cancellation of stray fields in the trap. A study of resonant circuits in the low RF, high voltage (10 MHz, 1 kV) regime was carried out with a view to developing a new RF supply for the Paul trap with reduced noise and increased power. A new supply based on a helical resonator was built and used to trap ions. This technique has reduced noise and will permit higher secular frequencies to be attained in the future. A magnetic field B in the ion trap is used to define a quantization axis, and in one series of experiments was required to be of order 100 G to provide a substantial Zeeman splitting. A set of magnetic field coils to control the size and direction of B is described. The design of these posed some problems owing to an unforseen issue with the vacuum chamber. In short, it is magnetizable and acts to first approximation like a magnetic shield. The field coils had to be sufficiently substantial to produce the desired field at the ion even in the presence of this shielding effect, and dark resonance (and other) spectra with Zeeman splitting were obtained to calibrate the field using the ion as a probe. Finally, the thesis describes the successful loading of the ion trap by laser photoionization from a weak atomic beam. This involved two new lasers at 423 nm and 389 nm. Saturated absorption spectroscopy of neutral calcium is first described, then transverse excitation of an atomic beam in our vacuum chamber is used to identify all the main isotopes of calcium and confirm their abundances in our source (a heated sample of natural calcium). Finally, photoionization is used to load the trap. This has three advantages over electron-impact ionization. By avoiding an electron gun, we avoid charging of insulating patches and subsequent electric field drift as they discharge; the flux in the atomic beam and hence calcium (and other) deposits on the electrodes can be greatly reduced; and most importantly, the photoionization is isotope selective. Evidence is presented which suggests that even with an non-enriched source, the rare isotope 43 Ca can be loaded with reasonable efficiency. This isotope is advantageous for quantum information experiments for several reasons, but chiefly because its ground state hyperfine structure can act as a stable qubit.
Using an external cavity-tuned diode laser in Doppler-free saturation spectroscopy, we are able to resolve the weak-field Zeeman splittings in the hyperfine levels of the rubidium D1 line. The number of lines observed in the Zeeman structure of rubidium and their measured energy-level splittings are as expected from theory. The measured amplitudes of the saturated-absorption signals, crossover resonances, and velocity-selective optical pumping signals are used in the analysis of various theories concerning saturated-absorption spectroscopy.
Photon-echo quantum beats arising from magnetic splitting of the cesium $7{P}_{\frac{3}{2}}\ensuremath{-}6{S}_{\frac{1}{2}}$ transition were observed in a dilute atomic vapor by means of a novel polarization-rotation technique. The quantum-beat spectrum contains frequencies generated by the hyperfine structure of the 7P327{P}_{\frac{3}{2}}7P23​​ level as well as those due to the Zeeman splitting of both ground and excited levels. Experimental data for both F=3F=3F=3 and F=4F=4F=4 hyperfine components of the 6S126{S}_{\frac{1}{2}}6S21​​ ground state and for several echo delay times were fitted to calculated spectra, including corrections arising from Faraday rotation of the echo pulses.