Alphatrap is a Penning-trap experiment aiming for the test of bound-state quantum electrodynamics (QED) by measuring the g-factor of electrons bound in highly charged ions up to hydrogen-like 208Pb81+. The high atomic number Z allows a test of boundstate QED under highest field strengths. Cold ions are necessary for high-precision measurements revealing the small additional effect of QED. As a novel development, laser cooling of beryllium ions will be used to sympathetically cool highly charged ions. The lower achievable temperatures are expected to further increase the precision of the measurement. Additionally, new measurement schemes such as simultaneous g-factor measurements on Coulomb crystallized ion pairs become feasible. In the context of this thesis, a concept for implementation of laser cooling at the Alphatrap experiment using 313nm light was developed. The experiment specific requirements on laser cooling in a Penning trap and sympathetic cooling are discussed and the results of the commissioning of the laser system are presented.Alphatrap is a Penning-trap experiment aiming for the test of bound-state quantum electrodynamics (QED) by measuring the g-factor of electrons bound in highly charged ions up to hydrogen-like 208Pb81+. The high atomic number Z allows a test of boundstate QED under highest field strengths. Cold ions are necessary for high-precision measurements revealing the small additional effect of QED. As a novel development, laser cooling of beryllium ions will be used to sympathetically cool highly charged ions. The lower achievable temperatures are expected to further increase the precision of the measurement. Additionally, new measurement schemes such as simultaneous g-factor measurements on Coulomb crystallized ion pairs become feasible. In the context of this thesis, a concept for implementation of laser cooling at the Alphatrap experiment using 313nm light was developed. The experiment specific requirements on laser cooling in a Penning trap and sympathetic cooling are discussed and the results of the commissioning of the laser system are presented.

Jan 1, 20170 citations

Frequency Metrology in Quantum Degenerate Helium: Direct Measurement of the 2 3 S 1 → 2 1 S 0 Transition

Rob van Rooij, Joseph Steven Borbely, Juliette Simonet +4 more

Precision spectroscopy of simple atomic systems has refined our understanding of the fundamental laws of quantum physics. In particular, helium spectroscopy has played a crucial role in describing two-electron interactions, determining the fine-structure constant and extracting the size of the helium nucleus. Here we present a measurement of the doubly forbidden 1557-nanometer transition connecting the two metastable states of helium (the lowest energy triplet state 2 (3)S(1) and first excited singlet state 2 (1)S(0)), for which quantum electrodynamic and nuclear size effects are very strong. This transition is weaker by 14 orders of magnitude than the most predominantly measured transition in helium. Ultracold, submicrokelvin, fermionic (3)He and bosonic (4)He atoms are used to obtain a precision of 8 × 10(-12), providing a stringent test of two-electron quantum electrodynamic theory and of nuclear few-body theory.Precision spectroscopy of simple atomic systems has refined our understanding of the fundamental laws of quantum physics. In particular, helium spectroscopy has played a crucial role in describing two-electron interactions, determining the fine-structure constant and extracting the size of the helium nucleus. Here we present a measurement of the doubly forbidden 1557-nanometer transition connecting the two metastable states of helium (the lowest energy triplet state 2 (3)S(1) and first excited singlet state 2 (1)S(0)), for which quantum electrodynamic and nuclear size effects are very strong. This transition is weaker by 14 orders of magnitude than the most predominantly measured transition in helium. Ultracold, submicrokelvin, fermionic (3)He and bosonic (4)He atoms are used to obtain a precision of 8 × 10(-12), providing a stringent test of two-electron quantum electrodynamic theory and of nuclear few-body theory.

arXiv:1105.4974ScienceJul 7, 2011136 citations

THE NEW QUANTUM ELECTRODYNAMICS

George William Series

WORLD SCIENTIFIC eBooksJun 1, 19880 citations

Two-photon spectroscopy of the

2s3d~^1D_2

level of neutral beryllium-9