Stray-field-induced quadrupole shift and absolute frequency of the 688-THz {sup 171}Yb{sup +} single-ion optical frequency standard

Journal Article · Thu Oct 15 04:00:00 EDT 2009 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVA.80.043403· OSTI ID:21316423

Tamm, Chr; Weyers, S; Lipphardt, B; Peik, E ^[1]

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1. Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Bundesallee 100, 38116 Braunschweig (Germany)

We report experimental investigations of a single-ion optical frequency standard based on {sup 171}Yb{sup +}. The ion is confined in a cylindrically symmetric radiofrequency Paul trap. The reference transition is the {sup 2}S{sub 1/2}(F=0)-{sup 2}D{sub 3/2}(F{sup '}=2) electric quadrupole transition at 688 THz. Using a differential measurement scheme, we determine the shift of the reference transition frequency that occurs due to the interaction of the electric quadrupole moment of the {sup 2}D{sub 3/2} state with the gradient of the electrostatic stray field in the trap. We determine an upper limit for the instability of the quadrupole shift over times between 100 s to 20 h. We also observe the variations in the shift and in the applied stray-field compensation voltages that result from loading a new ion into the trap and during a subsequent storage period of 74 days. This information is utilized to measure the absolute frequency of the reference transition with an uncertainty that is a factor of 3 smaller than that of the previous measurement. Using a fiber laser based optical frequency comb generator and the cesium fountain clock CSF1 of PTB (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt), the frequency at 300 K temperature is determined as 688 358 979 309 306.62{+-}0.73 Hz.

• OSTI ID: 21316423
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Journal Name: Physical Review. A Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 80; ISSN 1050-2947; ISSN PLRAAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
CESIUM
E2-TRANSITIONS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
FIBERS
LASERS
LOADING
PHOTON-ATOM COLLISIONS
QUADRUPOLE MOMENTS
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SYMMETRY
TRAPS
YTTERBIUM