Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Laser Physics

Prospects and experimental progress of an ytterbium optical lattice clock

Tai Hyun Yoon, C. Y. Park

Published Jul 1, 2005• 1 citation
OpenAlex

Abstract

We discuss the prospects of an ytterbium (Yb) optical lattice clock based on theoretical estimates of various systematic effects for clock operations confined to the optical lattice potential satisfying the Lamb-Dicke condition. Then, we present our experimental progress towards the realization of the proposed Yb optical lattice clock. We report the first efficient trapping of rare-earth Yb atoms with a high-power violet laser diode.

Related papers

A Yb optical clock with a lattice power enhancement cavity

Chunyun 春云 Wang 王, Yuan 远 Yao 姚, Haosen 浩森 Shi 师 +3 more

We construct a power enhancement cavity to form an optical lattice in an ytterbium optical clock. It is demonstrated that the intra-cavity lattice power can be increased by about 45 times, and the trap depth can be as large as 1400E r when laser light with a power of only 0.6 W incident to the lattice cavity. Such high trap depths are the key to accurate evaluation of the lattice-induced light shift with an uncertainty down to ∼1 × 10−18. By probing the ytterbium atoms trapped in the power-enhanced optical lattice, we obtain a 4.3 Hz-linewidth Rabi spectrum, which is then used to feedback to the clock laser for the close loop operation of the optical lattice clock. We evaluate the density shift of the Yb optical lattice clock based on interleaving measurements, which is –0.46(62) mHz. This result is smaller compared to the density shift of our first Yb optical clock without lattice power enhancement cavity mainly due to a larger lattice diameter of 344 μm.

Chinese Physics B•Dec 29, 2023•6 citations

A compact source of ultracold ytterbium for an optical lattice clock

C. Abou-Jaoudeh, Cristian Bruni, F. Baumer +1 more

In this paper, we present the development of a compact source of ultracold Yb atoms for an optical lattice clock. All laser systems that are required for the operation of the compact source are based on diode lasers. We have already implemented the first cooling stage using laser diodes at 399 nm and could realize a magnetooptical trap of174Yb with 3 times 107atoms.

Joint Conference of the European Frequency and Time Forum and IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium (EFTF/IFCS)•Apr 1, 2009•0 citations

Optical Lattice Clock with Spin-1/2 Ytterbium Atoms

N. Lemke

An optical lattice clock probes a spectrally narrow electronic transition in an ensemble of optically trapped, laser-cooled atoms, for use as a time and frequency standard. To date, several lattice clocks have been demonstrated with superior stability and accuracy compared to primary frequency standards based on microwave transitions. Yet, the question of which atomic system (including the element and isotope) performs best as a lattice clock remains unsettled. This thesis describes the first detailed investigation of an optical lattice clock using a spin-1/2 isotope of the ytterbium atom. A spin-1/2 system possesses several advantages over higher-spin systems, including a simplified level structure (allowing for straightforward manipulation of the nuclear spin state) and the absence of any tensor light shift from the confining optical lattice. Moreover, the ytterbium atom (Yb) stands among the leading lattice clock candidates, offering a high-performance optical clock with some degree of experimental simplicity. The frequency stability of the Yb clock is highlighted by resolving an ultra-narrow clock spectrum with a full-width at half-maximum of 1 Hz, corresponding to a record quality factor Q = ν0/Δν = 5 × 1014. Moreover, this system can be highly accurate, which is demonstrated by characterizing the Yb clock frequency at the 3 × 10-16 level of fractional uncertainty, with further progress toward a ten-fold improvement also presented. To reach this low level of uncertainty required careful consideration of important systematic errors, including the identification of the Stark-canceling wavelength, where the clock’s sensitivity to the lattice intensity is minimized, a precise determination of the static polarizability of the clock transition, and the measurement and control of atom-atom collisions.

•Jan 1, 2012•7 citations

Experiments on trapping ytterbium atoms in optical lattices

Min Zhou, Ning Chen, Xiaohang Zhang +7 more

Experiments on trapping ytterbium atoms in various optical lattices are presented. After the two-stage cooling, first in a blue magneto—optical trap and then in a green magneto—optical trap, the ultracold 171 Yb atoms are successfully loaded into one-, two-, and three-dimensional optical lattices operating at the Stark-free wavelength, respectively. The temperature, number, and lifetime of cold 171 Yb atoms in one-dimensional lattice are measured. After optimization, the one-dimensional lattice with cold 171 Yb atoms is used for developing an ytterbium optical clock.

Chinese Physics B•Oct 1, 2013•14 citations

Magneto-optical trapping of Yb atoms using an intercombination transition with an optical frequency comb: For realizing an Yb optical lattice clock

Masami Yasuda, T. Kohno, Feng-Lei Hong +6 more

We have magneto-optically trapped cold ytterbium atoms using an intercombination transition for realizing an optical lattice clock. For this purpose, we have developed a laser-diode-based light source, which is phase-locked to an optical frequency comb, thus attaining both laser frequency stabilization and laser linewidth narrowing.

Conference on Precision Electromagnetic Measurements•Jun 1, 2008•0 citations

Ytterbium optical lattice clock at INRIM

Marco Pizzocaro, Filippo Bregolin, Gianmaria Milani +5 more

We present an optical lattice clock based on ytterbium 171Yb atoms developed in the laboratories of INRIM. In the experiment, we cool and trap ytterbium atoms in a two stage magneto-optical trap (MOT) (at 399nm and 556nm for the first and second stage, respectively). Atoms are then transferred in a horizontal, one-dimensional optical lattice at the magic wavelength (759 nm). Here the clock transition at 578nm is probed by a laser stabilized on an ultra-stable cavity. We describe the generation of all the laser sources, the physic package and the operation of the clock. Lasers at 399 nm, 556nm and 578nm are obtained, with different techniques, using non-linear crystals starting from infrared sources. The clock laser is stabilized using a high finesse notched ULE cavity. The lattice is made with a titanium-sapphire laser. The aluminum vacuum chamber is designed for wide optical access and its temperature is measured by 8 thermistors for blackbody shift evaluation. Our system allows for fast loading of the lattice with 1 × 104atoms trapped in the lattice in 250 ms. We obtained preliminary spectroscopy results and we locked the clock laser to the atomic line. Future perspectives are discussed.

Joint Conference of the European Frequency and Time Forum and IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium (EFTF/IFCS)•Apr 1, 2015•1 citation
We discuss the prospects of an ytterbium (Yb) optical lattice clock based on theoretical estimates of various systematic effects for clock operations confined to the optical lattice potential satisfying the Lamb-Dicke condition. Then, we present our experimental progress towards the realization of the proposed Yb optical lattice clock. We report the first efficient trapping of rare-earth Yb atoms with a high-power violet laser diode.
We construct a power enhancement cavity to form an optical lattice in an ytterbium optical clock. It is demonstrated that the intra-cavity lattice power can be increased by about 45 times, and the trap depth can be as large as 1400E r when laser light with a power of only 0.6 W incident to the lattice cavity. Such high trap depths are the key to accurate evaluation of the lattice-induced light shift with an uncertainty down to ∼1 × 10−18. By probing the ytterbium atoms trapped in the power-enhanced optical lattice, we obtain a 4.3 Hz-linewidth Rabi spectrum, which is then used to feedback to the clock laser for the close loop operation of the optical lattice clock. We evaluate the density shift of the Yb optical lattice clock based on interleaving measurements, which is –0.46(62) mHz. This result is smaller compared to the density shift of our first Yb optical clock without lattice power enhancement cavity mainly due to a larger lattice diameter of 344 μm.
An optical lattice clock probes a spectrally narrow electronic transition in an ensemble of optically trapped, laser-cooled atoms, for use as a time and frequency standard. To date, several lattice clocks have been demonstrated with superior stability and accuracy compared to primary frequency standards based on microwave transitions. Yet, the question of which atomic system (including the element and isotope) performs best as a lattice clock remains unsettled. This thesis describes the first detailed investigation of an optical lattice clock using a spin-1/2 isotope of the ytterbium atom. A spin-1/2 system possesses several advantages over higher-spin systems, including a simplified level structure (allowing for straightforward manipulation of the nuclear spin state) and the absence of any tensor light shift from the confining optical lattice. Moreover, the ytterbium atom (Yb) stands among the leading lattice clock candidates, offering a high-performance optical clock with some degree of experimental simplicity. The frequency stability of the Yb clock is highlighted by resolving an ultra-narrow clock spectrum with a full-width at half-maximum of 1 Hz, corresponding to a record quality factor Q = ν0/Δν = 5 × 1014. Moreover, this system can be highly accurate, which is demonstrated by characterizing the Yb clock frequency at the 3 × 10-16 level of fractional uncertainty, with further progress toward a ten-fold improvement also presented. To reach this low level of uncertainty required careful consideration of important systematic errors, including the identification of the Stark-canceling wavelength, where the clock’s sensitivity to the lattice intensity is minimized, a precise determination of the static polarizability of the clock transition, and the measurement and control of atom-atom collisions.
Experiments on trapping ytterbium atoms in various optical lattices are presented. After the two-stage cooling, first in a blue magneto—optical trap and then in a green magneto—optical trap, the ultracold 171 Yb atoms are successfully loaded into one-, two-, and three-dimensional optical lattices operating at the Stark-free wavelength, respectively. The temperature, number, and lifetime of cold 171 Yb atoms in one-dimensional lattice are measured. After optimization, the one-dimensional lattice with cold 171 Yb atoms is used for developing an ytterbium optical clock.
We present an optical lattice clock based on ytterbium 171Yb atoms developed in the laboratories of INRIM. In the experiment, we cool and trap ytterbium atoms in a two stage magneto-optical trap (MOT) (at 399nm and 556nm for the first and second stage, respectively). Atoms are then transferred in a horizontal, one-dimensional optical lattice at the magic wavelength (759 nm). Here the clock transition at 578nm is probed by a laser stabilized on an ultra-stable cavity. We describe the generation of all the laser sources, the physic package and the operation of the clock. Lasers at 399 nm, 556nm and 578nm are obtained, with different techniques, using non-linear crystals starting from infrared sources. The clock laser is stabilized using a high finesse notched ULE cavity. The lattice is made with a titanium-sapphire laser. The aluminum vacuum chamber is designed for wide optical access and its temperature is measured by 8 thermistors for blackbody shift evaluation. Our system allows for fast loading of the lattice with 1 × 104atoms trapped in the lattice in 250 ms. We obtained preliminary spectroscopy results and we locked the clock laser to the atomic line. Future perspectives are discussed.