171 Yb + single-ion optical frequency standard at 688 THz

Fakultät für Mathematik

Blythe Pj

Chr. Tamm, B. Lipphardt, T. E. Mehlstäubler +4 more

E. Peik, T. Schneider, Chr. Tamm

A fundamental limit to the stability of a single-ion optical frequency standard is set by quantum noise in the measurement of the internal state of the ion. We discuss how the interrogation sequence and the processing of the atomic resonance signal can be optimized in order to obtain the highest possible stability under realistic experimental conditions. A servo algorithm is presented that stabilizes a laser frequency to the single-ion signal and that eliminates errors due to laser frequency drift. Numerical simulations of the servo characteristics are compared to experimental data from a frequency comparison of two single-ion standards based on a transition at 688 THz in 171 Yb + . Experimentally, an instability σ y (100 s) = 9 × 10 −16 is obtained in the frequency difference between both standards.

Stephen A. Webster, R. M. Godun, S. A. King +6 more

Nils Huntemann, Maksim V. Okhapkin, B. Lipphardt +3 more

We experimentally investigate an optical frequency standard based on the 467 nm (642 THz) electric-octupole reference transition (2)S(1/2)(F=0)→(2)F(7/2)(F=3) in a single trapped (171)Yb(+) ion. The extraordinary features of this transition result from the long natural lifetime and from the 4f(13)6s(2) configuration of the upper state. The electric-quadrupole moment of the (2)F(7/2) state is measured as -0.041(5)ea(0)(2), where e is the elementary charge and a(0) the Bohr radius. We also obtain information on the differential scalar and tensorial components of the static polarizability and of the probe-light-induced ac Stark shift of the octupole transition. With a real-time extrapolation scheme that eliminates this shift, the unperturbed transition frequency is realized with a fractional uncertainty of 7.1×10(-17). The frequency is measured as 642 121 496 772 645.15(52) Hz.