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Spin-1/2 Optical Lattice Clock

N. Lemke, Andrew D. Ludlow, Zeb W. Barber, Tara M. Fortier, Scott A. Diddams, Yina Jiang, Steven R. Jefferts, Thomas P. Heavner, T.E. Parker, Chris W. Oates

Published Jun 5, 2009• 0 citations
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Abstract

We experimentally investigate an optical clock based on $^{171}$Yb ($I=1/2$) atoms confined in an optical lattice. We have evaluated all known frequency shifts to the clock transition, including a density-dependent collision shift, with a fractional uncertainty of $3.4 \times 10^{-16}$, limited principally by uncertainty in the blackbody radiation Stark shift. We measured the absolute clock transition frequency relative to the NIST-F1 Cs fountain clock and find the frequency to be 518 295 836 590 865.2(0.7) Hz.

Related papers

Spin-1/2 Optical Lattice Clock

N. Lemke, Andrew D. Ludlow, Zeb W. Barber +7 more

We experimentally investigate an optical clock based on $^{171}$Yb ($I=1/2$) atoms confined in an optical lattice. We have evaluated all known frequency shifts to the clock transition, including a density-dependent collision shift, with a fractional uncertainty of $3.4 \times 10^{-16}$, limited principally by uncertainty in the blackbody radiation Stark shift. We measured the absolute clock transition frequency relative to the NIST-F1 Cs fountain clock and find the frequency to be 518 295 836 590 865.2(0.7) Hz.

arXiv:0906.1219•Jun 5, 2009•15 citations

Spin- 1/2 Optical Lattice Clock

N. Lemke, Andrew D. Ludlow, Zeb W. Barber +7 more

We experimentally investigate an optical clock based on ;{171}Yb (I = 1/2) atoms confined in an optical lattice. We have evaluated all known frequency shifts to the clock transition, including a density-dependent collision shift, with a fractional uncertainty of 3.4 x 10;{-16}, limited principally by uncertainty in the blackbody radiation Stark shift. We measured the absolute clock transition frequency relative to the NIST-F1 Cs fountain clock and find the frequency to be 518 295 836 590 865.2(0.7) Hz.

Physical Review Letters•Aug 3, 2009•274 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

Uncertainty Evaluation of an 171Yb Optical Lattice Clock at NMIJ

Takumi Kobayashi, Daisuke Akamatsu, Yusuke Hisai +6 more

We report an uncertainty evaluation of an171Yb optical lattice clock with a total fractional uncertainty of 3.6 × 10-16, which is mainly limited by the lattice-induced light shift and the blackbody radiation shift. Our evaluation of the lattice-induced light shift, the density shift, and the second-order Zeeman shift is based on an interleaved measurement where we measure the frequency shift using the alternating stabilization of a clock laser to the 6s21S0-6s6p3P0clock transition with two different experimental parameters. In the present evaluation, the uncertainties of two sensitivity coefficients for the lattice-induced hyperpolarizability shift d incorporated in a widely used light shift model by RIKEN and the second-order Zeeman shift aZare improved compared with the uncertainties of previous coefficients. The hyperpolarizability coefficient d is determined by investigating the trap potential depth and the light shifts at the lattice frequencies near the two-photon transitions 6s6p3P0-6s8p3P0, 6s8p3P2, and 6s5f3F2. The obtained values are d=-1.1(4) μHz and aZ=-6.6(3) Hz/mT2. These improved coefficients should reduce the total systematic uncertainties of Yb lattice clocks at other institutes.

arXiv:1901.00954•IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control•Sep 18, 2018•26 citations

Systematic evaluation of a 171Yb optical clock by synchronous comparison between two lattice systems

Qi Gao, Min Zhou, Chengyin Han +12 more

Abstract Optical clocks are the most precise measurement devices. Here we experimentally characterize one such clock based on the 1S0-3P0 transition of neutral 171Yb atoms confined in an optical lattice. Given that the systematic evaluation using an interleaved stabilization scheme is unable to avoid noise from the clock laser, synchronous comparisons against a second 171Yb lattice system were implemented to accelerate the evaluation. The fractional instability of one clock falls below 4 × 10−17 after an averaging over a time of 5,000 seconds. The systematic frequency shifts were corrected with a total uncertainty of 1.7 × 10−16. The lattice polarizability shift currently contributes the largest source. This work paves the way to measuring the absolute clock transition frequency relative to the primary Cs standard or against the International System of Units (SI) second.

Scientific Reports•May 16, 2018•42 citations

Optical lattice clocks and frequency comparisons

Hidetoshi Katori

To date, optical clocks based on singly trapped ions and ultracold neutral atoms trapped in the Stark-shift-free optical lattices are regarded as promising candidates for future atomic clocks. Since 2006, “optical lattice clocks” have been evaluated close to the Cs clocks' uncertainty limit internationally. One of the essential experimental challenges in the development of “optical lattice clocks” is to find out the better lattice geometries as well as interrogated atom species (including their quantum statistics) that bring out the potential performance of the clock scheme, taking into account the collisional frequency shift, the Black body radiation (BBR) shift, the atomic multipolar and hyperpolarizability effects.

•Jun 1, 2010•0 citations
We experimentally investigate an optical clock based on 171^{171}171Yb (I=1/2I=1/2I=1/2) atoms confined in an optical lattice. We have evaluated all known frequency shifts to the clock transition, including a density-dependent collision shift, with a fractional uncertainty of 3.4×10−163.4 \times 10^{-16}3.4×10−16, limited principally by uncertainty in the blackbody radiation Stark shift. We measured the absolute clock transition frequency relative to the NIST-F1 Cs fountain clock and find the frequency to be 518 295 836 590 865.2(0.7) Hz.
We experimentally investigate an optical clock based on 171^{171}171Yb (I=1/2I=1/2I=1/2) atoms confined in an optical lattice. We have evaluated all known frequency shifts to the clock transition, including a density-dependent collision shift, with a fractional uncertainty of 3.4×10−163.4 \times 10^{-16}3.4×10−16, limited principally by uncertainty in the blackbody radiation Stark shift. We measured the absolute clock transition frequency relative to the NIST-F1 Cs fountain clock and find the frequency to be 518 295 836 590 865.2(0.7) Hz.
We experimentally investigate an optical clock based on ;{171}Yb (I = 1/2) atoms confined in an optical lattice. We have evaluated all known frequency shifts to the clock transition, including a density-dependent collision shift, with a fractional uncertainty of 3.4 x 10;{-16}, limited principally by uncertainty in the blackbody radiation Stark shift. We measured the absolute clock transition frequency relative to the NIST-F1 Cs fountain clock and find the frequency to be 518 295 836 590 865.2(0.7) Hz.
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.
We report an uncertainty evaluation of an171Yb optical lattice clock with a total fractional uncertainty of 3.6 × 10-16, which is mainly limited by the lattice-induced light shift and the blackbody radiation shift. Our evaluation of the lattice-induced light shift, the density shift, and the second-order Zeeman shift is based on an interleaved measurement where we measure the frequency shift using the alternating stabilization of a clock laser to the 6s21S0-6s6p3P0clock transition with two different experimental parameters. In the present evaluation, the uncertainties of two sensitivity coefficients for the lattice-induced hyperpolarizability shift d incorporated in a widely used light shift model by RIKEN and the second-order Zeeman shift aZare improved compared with the uncertainties of previous coefficients. The hyperpolarizability coefficient d is determined by investigating the trap potential depth and the light shifts at the lattice frequencies near the two-photon transitions 6s6p3P0-6s8p3P0, 6s8p3P2, and 6s5f3F2. The obtained values are d=-1.1(4) μHz and aZ=-6.6(3) Hz/mT2. These improved coefficients should reduce the total systematic uncertainties of Yb lattice clocks at other institutes.
Abstract Optical clocks are the most precise measurement devices. Here we experimentally characterize one such clock based on the 1S0-3P0 transition of neutral 171Yb atoms confined in an optical lattice. Given that the systematic evaluation using an interleaved stabilization scheme is unable to avoid noise from the clock laser, synchronous comparisons against a second 171Yb lattice system were implemented to accelerate the evaluation. The fractional instability of one clock falls below 4 × 10−17 after an averaging over a time of 5,000 seconds. The systematic frequency shifts were corrected with a total uncertainty of 1.7 × 10−16. The lattice polarizability shift currently contributes the largest source. This work paves the way to measuring the absolute clock transition frequency relative to the primary Cs standard or against the International System of Units (SI) second.
To date, optical clocks based on singly trapped ions and ultracold neutral atoms trapped in the Stark-shift-free optical lattices are regarded as promising candidates for future atomic clocks. Since 2006, “optical lattice clocks” have been evaluated close to the Cs clocks' uncertainty limit internationally. One of the essential experimental challenges in the development of “optical lattice clocks” is to find out the better lattice geometries as well as interrogated atom species (including their quantum statistics) that bring out the potential performance of the clock scheme, taking into account the collisional frequency shift, the Black body radiation (BBR) shift, the atomic multipolar and hyperpolarizability effects.