Active optical atomic clocks operating on narrow linewidth clock transitions based on a superradiant lasing are predicted to achieve precision orders of magnitude higher than any currently existing optical atomic clocks. We introduce a general theory of superradiant lasing and implement it for the examples of Ca and Sr atoms. Our simulations coincide well with the experimental results and explain some features of it. The presented model is valid for any two- and three-level system in an optical lattice.
Active optical atomic clocks operating on narrow linewidth clock transitions based on a superradiant lasing are predicted to achieve precision orders of magnitude higher than any currently existing optical atomic clocks. We introduce a general theory of superradiant lasing and implement it for the examples of Ca and Sr atoms. Our simulations coincide well with the experimental results and explain some features of it. The presented model is valid for any two- and three-level system in an optical lattice.
Superradiant active clocks operating on narrow linewidth clock transitions are predicted to achieve precision orders of magnitude higher than any currently existing optical atomic clocks. We introduce a theory of superradiant lasing and implement it for the example of 40Ca atoms. The presented model, however, is valid for any two- or three-level system in an optical lattice. We perform a feasibility analysis and suggest a set of parameters for the experimental fulfillment of superradiant lasing in Ca. Moreover, we present an overview of different magic wavelengths for the 4s2 1S0 ↔ 4s4p 3P1 (m J = 0) transition in Ca for different polarizations and a robustness analysis of these magic conditions. We also report the magic-zero wavelengths for the 4s4p 3P1, m J = 0 state.
Achieving superradiant lasing with an ultranarrow linewidth is crucial for enhancing atomic clock stability in quantum precision measurement. By employing the exceptional point (EP) property of the system, we demonstrate theoretically superradiant lasing with linewidths in the μHz range, sustained at the high-power level. This is achieved by incoherently pumping optical lattice clock transitions with ultracold alkaline-earth strontium-87 atoms in the EP of a PT-symmetric system. Physically, the atomic coherence reaches a maximum in the EP, significantly amplifying the superradiance effect and resulting in superradiant lasing with an ultranarrow linewidth. This linewidth is even three orders of magnitude smaller than that of superradiant lasing in the systems without EP. Our work extends the realm of superradiant lasing by introducing the EP property, and offers promising applications for developing atomic clocks with exceptional stability and accuracy.
A new class of laser, which harnesses coherence in both light and atoms, is possible with ultracold alkaline-earth-metal atoms trapped in an optical lattice inside an optical cavity. Different lasing regimes, including superradiance, superradiant, and conventional lasing, are distinguished by the relative coherence stored in the atoms and in the cavity mode. We analyze the physics in two different experimentally achievable regions of the superradiant lasing regime. Our calculations confirm the narrow linewidth of superradiant lasing for the doubly forbidden clock transition ${}^{3}{P}_{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{}^{1}{S}_{0}$ of 87Sr atoms. Under strong driving of the dipole-forbidden transition ${}^{3}{P}_{1}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{}^{1}{S}_{0}$ of 88Sr atoms, the superradiant linewidth narrows further due to the coherent excitation of the cavity field.
We demonstrate the state-of-the-art technique of an active clock to provide a continuous superradiant lasing signal using an ensemble of trapped Cs atoms in an optical lattice. A magic wavelength of the proposed $|7{S}_{1/2};F=4,{M}_{F}=0\ensuremath{\rangle}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}|6{P}_{3/2};F=3,{M}_{F}=0\ensuremath{\rangle}$ clock transition in Cs atoms is identified at 1181 nm for constructing the optical lattice. Pertinent optical lines are also found for pumping and repumping atoms from their ground states. A fractional uncertainty about ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}15}$ in the clock frequency has been predicted by carrying out rigorous calculations of several atomic properties. The bad-cavity operational mode of the active clock is anticipated to improve remarkably its short-term stability by suppressing intrinsic thermal fluctuations. Thus, a composite clock system with better short-term and long-term stabilities can be built by combining the proposed active clock with another high-accuracy passive optical clock.
Active optical clocks, a new class of optical atomic clocks, work through stimulated emission lasing, a unique mechanism that is distinct from laser absorption spectroscopy of conventional optical clocks. With coherent weak optical feedback from a Fabry-Perot resonator operating in the bad-cavity regime, active optical clocks sustain a lasing oscillation at an atomic transition frequency. They are used directly as quantum optical frequency standards with expected stability better by about two orders of magnitude than that of the best clocks. This review starts with a simplified account of historical developments and the limitations of critical techniques in optical atomic clocks. After an introduction of the basic mechanism underlying active optical clocks, we discuss the most recent experimental results for several configurations and experimental set-ups of active optical clocks. These include those based on a 2-level atomic beam and 3-level laser-cooled trapped-atom system, those based on a 4-level atom scheme, and the Faraday active optical clock. Moreover, following the successful lasing and preliminary results on a Faraday active optical frequency standard with Faraday atomic filter using thermal Cs cell, we describe an experimental scheme of a Faraday active optical clock with a Faraday atomic filter using magic-lattice-trapped Sr atoms at the 689-nm transition, and Faraday optical clocks operating in the good-cavity regime. We conclude with a comprehensive comparison of the different active optical clocks, prospects for active Faraday optical clocks, and potential applications of active optical clocks.
Abstract The atomic clocks, whether operating at optical or microwave region, can be divided into two categories according to their working mode, namely the passive clocks and active clocks. The passive clocks, whose standard frequency is locked to an ultra-narrow atomic spectral line, such as laser cooled Cs beam or lattice trapped Sr atoms, depend on the spontaneous emission line. On the contrary, the active clocks, in which the atoms are used as the gain medium, are based on the stimulated emission radiation, their spectrum can be directly used as the frequency standard. Up to now, the active hydrogen maser has been the most stable microwave atomic clocks. Also, the Sr superradiant active atomic clock is prospects for a millihertz-linewidth laser. Moreover, the optical clocks are expected to surpass the performance of microwave clocks both in stability and uncertainty, since their higher working frequency. The active optical clock has the potential to improve the stability of the best clocks by 2 orders of magnitude. In this work, we introduce the development of active optical clocks, and their types is classified according to the energy-level structure of atoms for stimulated radiation.