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Journal of Modern Optics

Linear Trap for High-accuracy Spectroscopy of Stored Ions

Mark G. Raizen, Jonathan Magnolia Gilligan, Jonas Bergquist, W. M. Itano, D. J. Wineland

Published Feb 1, 1992• 93 citations
Publisher

Abstract

In a linear r.f. Paul trap, ‘crystallized’ structures of laser-cooled 199Hg+ ions are observed. The ground-state hyperfine transition at 40·5 GHz is observed in microwave-optical double-resonance spectroscopy. Future prospects are also discussed.
DOI
10.1080/09500349214550241

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Bulletin of the American Physical Society•May 1, 1993•0 citations
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.
Trapping and cooling large numbers of ions, each confined to much less than an optical wavelength, is of great interest for high accuracy spectroscopy, improved frequency standards and atom-radiation field experiments. This can be achieved in a linear rf ion trap where the rf electric fields go to zero along a line rather than at only a point. As a step toward this goal we have constructed a linear trap and have observed simple crystallized linear structures of up to tens of 199Hg+ ions. By varying the axial well depth (determined by a static potential) we have also observed more complex crystallized structures. The ion positions in these structures are in close agreement with a calculation that used as input the measured secular frequencies of the trap. We have also observed the 40.5-GHz ground-state hyperfine transition of trapped 199Hg+ ions by microwave/optical double resonance.
Microwave spectroscopy using trapped and cooled ions can achieve precision and accuracy comparable to the best cesium frequency standards. We discuss standards based on 199Hg+ ions trapped in linear Paul traps: the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) standard, which uses up to 107 atoms confined near the trap axis, and the recently evaluated NIST standard, which uses approximately ten ions laser cooled and crystalized on the trap axis. We consider future directions in trapped ion frequency standard work, including the use of entangled states for achieving higher precision, and progress on trapped ion optical frequency standards. Finally, we discuss scientific and technical applications of extremely stable frequency standards.
Microwave spectroscopy using trapped and cooled ions can achieve precision and accuracy comparable to the best cesium frequency standards. We discuss standards based on 199Hg+ ions trapped in linear Paul traps: the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) standard, which uses up to 107 atoms confined near the trap axis, and the recently evaluated NIST standard, which uses approximately ten ions laser cooled and crystalized on the trap axis. We consider future directions in trapped ion frequency standard work, including the use of entangled states for achieving higher precision, and progress on trapped ion optical frequency standards. Finally, we discuss scientific and technical applications of extremely stable frequency standards.
We have previously reported experiments using a linear rf trap to store laser-cooled {sup 199}Hg{sup +} ions. Trapping multiple ions increases the signal-to-noise ratio; yet all ions have equally low second-order Doppler shifts if they are confined along the nodal center line of a linear trap. In such an environment, the 40.5 GHz ground-state hyperfine transition in {sup 199}Hg{sup +} is a candidate for an extremely accurate and stable microwave frequency standard. Our redesigned apparatus will operate at cryogenic temperatures to provide very low background gas pressure (resulting in longer ion storage times and immunity from background pressure shifts) and superconductive shielding against stray magnetic fields. We shall discuss progress on this frequency standard and applications of our apparatus to new cooling and squeezing techniques.