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Frequency standards based on trapped Yb ions

R. Casdorff, V. Enders, Werner Neuhauser, P. E. Toschek, R. Blatt

Published May 21, 1990• 1 citation
OpenAlex

Abstract

Ion storage in both Paul and Penning traps has been the basis for many high precision experiments during the past years.1 The preparation of atomic samples for spectroscopic experiments which are free of perturbations by collisions with walls or buffer gas and by spurious external fields makes the trapping technique a unique tool for a frequency standard. Moreover, optical cooling2 eliminates systematic shifts and the need for corrections which account for the ion motion.

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Abstract The author provides, in nine chapters, a compact and up-to-date coverage of the entire range of applications of the two most important ion traps: the Paul('radiofrequency') trap and the Penning('dc) trap. The book begins with full details of the ion confinement principles of both these traps; this is followed by a presentation of the basic experimental techniques, including details of a few actual traps. There is then a chapter on the methods of ion cooling, now an essential integral part of all trap-based experiments. The next four chapters provide a comprehensive coverage of applications in four major areas, broadly classified as: atomic physics, frequency standards, collision studies, and analytical mass spectrometry. The text is appended by a set of more than 600 fully titled chronologically arranged references which mirror the growth of the field as well as providing a comprehensive guide to original research papers. The text should be useful to students both at the senior undergraduate and beginning graduate level as a general reader for professionals in atomic physics, chemical physics, mass spectometry and related fields.

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OBSERVATION OF COMPLETE POPULATION TRAPPING IN AN EXCITED STATE OF Yb IONS

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Ion traps are of current interest for high precision measurements of atomic splitting frequencies and they are widely discussed as new frequency standards [1, 2]. Recently they have also successfully been used to perform quantum jump experiments [3, 4]. The ion storage technique can successfully be applied to observe ions for long periods without perturbations and thus to eliminate transit time broadening and collisional effects. We were interested to make high resolution level splitting measurements with Yb ions which are proposed as a proper candidate in ion trap frequency standards [1]. When resonantly exciting the ions to the 6p2P1/2-state we measured a rapidly decreasing fluorescence signal. In order to explain this phenomenon we have investigated the excitation scheme of Yb+ in more detail (see Fig. 1).

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Setup of a vibration-suppressed cryogenic system for a RF ion trap with minimum micromotion

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Collisional population transfer in trapped Yb+ ions

Martin M. Schauer, James R. Danielson, Angela-Maithy N. Nguyen +3 more

Long-lived metastable states of ${\text{Yb}}^{+}$ ions are used for atomic frequency standards, precision measurements, and quantum information research. The effect of population trapping and transfer in these states must be well understood. We report here the transfer of ${\text{Yb}}^{+}$ ions into the long-lived ${^{2}F}_{7/2}$ state by means of collisions between He buffer gas and ${\text{Yb}}^{+}$ ions held in a linear Paul trap. Transfer rates were measured as functions of buffer-gas pressure and repump-laser power, and the collisional population transfer rates were extracted. The measured transfer rate coefficients are $8.32(75)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}11}$ and $8.65(33)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}11}\text{ }{\text{cm}}^{3}/\text{s}$ for the collisional processes ${^{2}P}_{1/2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{^{2}D}_{5/2}$ and ${^{2}D}_{3/2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{^{2}F}_{7/2}$, respectively.

Physical Review A•Jun 5, 2009•13 citations
Ion storage in both Paul and Penning traps has been the basis for many high precision experiments during the past years.1 The preparation of atomic samples for spectroscopic experiments which are free of perturbations by collisions with walls or buffer gas and by spurious external fields makes the trapping technique a unique tool for a frequency standard. Moreover, optical cooling2 eliminates systematic shifts and the need for corrections which account for the ion motion.
Abstract The author provides, in nine chapters, a compact and up-to-date coverage of the entire range of applications of the two most important ion traps: the Paul('radiofrequency') trap and the Penning('dc) trap. The book begins with full details of the ion confinement principles of both these traps; this is followed by a presentation of the basic experimental techniques, including details of a few actual traps. There is then a chapter on the methods of ion cooling, now an essential integral part of all trap-based experiments. The next four chapters provide a comprehensive coverage of applications in four major areas, broadly classified as: atomic physics, frequency standards, collision studies, and analytical mass spectrometry. The text is appended by a set of more than 600 fully titled chronologically arranged references which mirror the growth of the field as well as providing a comprehensive guide to original research papers. The text should be useful to students both at the senior undergraduate and beginning graduate level as a general reader for professionals in atomic physics, chemical physics, mass spectometry and related fields.
Ion traps are of current interest for high precision measurements of atomic splitting frequencies and they are widely discussed as new frequency standards [1, 2]. Recently they have also successfully been used to perform quantum jump experiments [3, 4]. The ion storage technique can successfully be applied to observe ions for long periods without perturbations and thus to eliminate transit time broadening and collisional effects. We were interested to make high resolution level splitting measurements with Yb ions which are proposed as a proper candidate in ion trap frequency standards [1]. When resonantly exciting the ions to the 6p2P1/2-state we measured a rapidly decreasing fluorescence signal. In order to explain this phenomenon we have investigated the excitation scheme of Yb+ in more detail (see Fig. 1).
Recent advancements allow for sympathetic cooling of highly charged ions (HCI) to mK temperatures in a cryogenic linear Paul trap. This makes high precision spectroscopy of HCI possible, paving the way to the search for new physics and novel optical clocks. For this, a highly stable and well-understood Paul trap is required. In particular, excess micromotion needs to be characterized and reduced, since it can limit the lowest achievable ion temperature and therefore spectroscopic precision. Within this thesis, a new cryogenic supply system was partly assembled, which allows for vibrational decoupling of the trap, increasing storage stability. The first cool down test achieved a temperature of 4:23K in the trap environment, which is sufficiently low for superconductive operation of the intended RF-resonator made from niobium. Additionally, a photon-correlation technique was used on the existing cryogenic linear Paul trap using 9Be+ ions for determination of the trap frequency by measuring the phase shift between the driven ions motion and the driving field. From the trap frequency the magnification of the imaging system is deduced. The same photon-correlation technique is used to measure excess micromotion and to demonstrate its reduction by a factor of 100 compared to a previous measurement by using new electronics.
Long-lived metastable states of Yb+{\text{Yb}}^{+}Yb+ ions are used for atomic frequency standards, precision measurements, and quantum information research. The effect of population trapping and transfer in these states must be well understood. We report here the transfer of Yb+{\text{Yb}}^{+}Yb+ ions into the long-lived 2F7/2{^{2}F}_{7/2}2F7/2​ state by means of collisions between He buffer gas and Yb+{\text{Yb}}^{+}Yb+ ions held in a linear Paul trap. Transfer rates were measured as functions of buffer-gas pressure and repump-laser power, and the collisional population transfer rates were extracted. The measured transfer rate coefficients are $8.32(75)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}11}$ and $8.65(33)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}11}\text{ }{\text{cm}}^{3}/\text{s}$ for the collisional processes ${^{2}P}_{1/2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{^{2}D}_{5/2}$ and ${^{2}D}_{3/2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{^{2}F}_{7/2}$, respectively.