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IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement

Paul trap for optical frequency standards

Steven R. Jefferts, Christopher R. Monroe, A. S. Barton, David J. Wineland

Published Apr 1, 1995• 7 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We describe a variant of the quadrupole rf (Paul) ion trap capable of localization of a trapped ion within much less than an optical wavelength (Lamb-Dicke regime). Attainment of the Lamb-Dicke regime reduces the sensitivity of the central absorption feature to atomic motion, thereby reducing an important source of noise in an optical frequency standard. The trapping potentials are generated by a high-Q, vacuum-compatible, quarter-wave resonator driven at about 240 MHz. Secular frequencies of tens of megahertz have been achieved for trapped magnesium and beryllium ions.>

DOI
10.1109/19.377795

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Coaxial-resonator-driven rf (Paul) trap for strong confinement

Steven R. Jefferts, Christopher R. Monroe, E. W. Bell +1 more

We describe a variant of the quadrupole rf (Paul) ion trap capable of localization of a trapped ion to much less than an optical wavelength (Lamb-Dicke regime). The trapping potentials are generated by a high-Q, vacuum-compatible, quarter-wave resonator driven at about 240 MHz. The binding strength of the trap has been characterized. The trap contains compensation electrodes which allow the cancellation of stray static electric fields within the trap. Secular frequencies of tens of megahertz have been achieved for trapped magnesium and beryllium ions.

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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.

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We describe a configuration for a linear Paul rf ion trap. This trap can store a long string of ions with a small second-order Doppler shift, comparable to that achieved with a single ion in a quadrupole Paul trap. Crystallized strings of trapped ions, as well as more complicated structures, have been observed in the trap. We report an observation of the 40.5-GHz ground-state hyperfine interval of $^{199}\mathrm{Hg}^{+}$ by microwave-optical double-resonance spectroscopy and discuss prospects for a microwave frequency standard based on a trapped string of ions.

Physical Review A•May 1, 1992•330 citations
We describe a variant of the quadrupole rf (Paul) ion trap capable of localization of a trapped ion within much less than an optical wavelength (Lamb-Dicke regime). Attainment of the Lamb-Dicke regime reduces the sensitivity of the central absorption feature to atomic motion, thereby reducing an important source of noise in an optical frequency standard. The trapping potentials are generated by a high-Q, vacuum-compatible, quarter-wave resonator driven at about 240 MHz. Secular frequencies of tens of megahertz have been achieved for trapped magnesium and beryllium ions.>
We describe a variant of the quadrupole rf (Paul) ion trap capable of localization of a trapped ion to much less than an optical wavelength (Lamb-Dicke regime). The trapping potentials are generated by a high-Q, vacuum-compatible, quarter-wave resonator driven at about 240 MHz. The binding strength of the trap has been characterized. The trap contains compensation electrodes which allow the cancellation of stray static electric fields within the trap. Secular frequencies of tens of megahertz have been achieved for trapped magnesium and beryllium ions.
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.
The electric quadrupole transition of confined Ca/sup +/ ions has been proposed as a frequency standard in the visible domain. To access metrologic conditions, we have built a cylindrical miniature trap, allowing to obtain high frequencies of motion and preparing the access to the Lamb-Dicke regime where the first order Doppler broadening is suppressed. Laser cooling and interrogation of the confined ions require lasers at 397 nm and at 729 nm. We propose the generation of these wavelengths using multimode laser diodes and a frequency-doubling set-up.
We describe a configuration for a linear Paul rf ion trap. This trap can store a long string of ions with a small second-order Doppler shift, comparable to that achieved with a single ion in a quadrupole Paul trap. Crystallized strings of trapped ions, as well as more complicated structures, have been observed in the trap. We report an observation of the 40.5-GHz ground-state hyperfine interval of 199Hg+^{199}\mathrm{Hg}^{+}199Hg+ by microwave-optical double-resonance spectroscopy and discuss prospects for a microwave frequency standard based on a trapped string of ions.