Observation of a large atomic parity violation effect in ytterbium

Atomic parity violation has been observed in the 6s(2 1)S(0)-->5d6s(3)D(1) 408-nm forbidden transition of ytterbium. The parity-violating amplitude is found to be 2 orders of magnitude larger than in cesium, where the most precise experiments to date have been performed. This is in accordance with theoretical predictions and constitutes the largest atomic parity-violating amplitude yet observed. This also opens the way to future measurements of neutron distributions and anapole moments by comparing parity-violating amplitudes for various isotopes and hyperfine components of the transition.

Optical lattice induced light shifts in an yb atomic clock

We present an experimental study of the lattice-induced light shifts on the (1)S(0) --> (3)P(0) optical clock transition (nu(clock) approximately 518 THz) in neutral ytterbium. The "magic" frequency nu(magic) for the 174Yb isotope was determined to be 394 799 475(35) MHz, which leads to a first order light shift uncertainty of 0.38 Hz. We also investigated the hyperpolarizability shifts due to the nearby 6s6p(3)P(0) --> 6s8p(3)P(0), 6s8p(3)P(2), and 6s5f(3)F(2) two-photon resonances at 759.708, 754.23, and 764.95 nm, respectively. By measuring the corresponding clock transition shifts near these two-photon resonances, the hyperpolarizability shift was estimated to be 170(33) mHz for a linear polarized, 50 microK deep, lattice at the magic wavelength. These results indicate that the differential polarizability and hyperpolarizability frequency shift uncertainties in a Yb lattice clock could be held to well below 10(-17).

Frequency ratio of Al+ and Hg+ single-ion optical clocks; metrology at the 17th decimal place

Time has always had a special status in physics because of its fundamental role in specifying the regularities of nature and because of the extraordinary precision with which it can be measured. This precision enables tests of fundamental physics and cosmology, as well as practical applications such as satellite navigation. Recently, a regime of operation for atomic clocks based on optical transitions has become possible, promising even higher performance. We report the frequency ratio of two optical atomic clocks with a fractional uncertainty of 5.2 x 10(-17). The ratio of aluminum and mercury single-ion optical clock frequencies nuAl+/nuHg+ is 1.052871833148990438(55), where the uncertainty comprises a statistical measurement uncertainty of 4.3 x 10(-17), and systematic uncertainties of 1.9 x 10(-17) and 2.3 x 10(-17) in the mercury and aluminum frequency standards, respectively. Repeated measurements during the past year yield a preliminary constraint on the temporal variation of the fine-structure constant alpha of alpha/alpha = (-1.6+/-2.3) x 10(-17)/year.

Sr lattice clock at 1 x 10(-16) fractional uncertainty by remote optical evaluation with a Ca clock

Optical atomic clocks promise timekeeping at the highest precision and accuracy, owing to their high operating frequencies. Rigorous evaluations of these clocks require direct comparisons between them. We have realized a high-performance remote comparison of optical clocks over kilometer-scale urban distances, a key step for development, dissemination, and application of these optical standards. Through this remote comparison and a proper design of lattice-confined neutral atoms for clock operation, we evaluate the uncertainty of a strontium (Sr) optical lattice clock at the 1 x 10(-16) fractional level, surpassing the current best evaluations of cesium (Cs) primary standards. We also report on the observation of density-dependent effects in the spin-polarized fermionic sample and discuss the current limiting effect of blackbody radiation-induced frequency shifts.

Observation of the 1S0-->3P0 clock transition in 27Al+

We report, for the first time, laser spectroscopy of the 1S0-->3P0 clock transition in 27Al+. A single aluminum ion and a single beryllium ion are simultaneously confined in a linear Paul trap, coupled by their mutual Coulomb repulsion. This coupling allows the beryllium ion to sympathetically cool the aluminum ion and also enables transfer of the aluminum's electronic state to the beryllium's hyperfine state, which can be measured with high fidelity. These techniques are applied to measure the clock transition frequency nu=1,121,015,393,207,851(6) Hz. They are also used to measure the lifetime of the metastable clock state tau=20.6+/-1.4 s, the ground state 1S0 g factor gS=-0.000,792,48(14), and the excited state 3P0 g factor gP=-0.001,976,86(21), in units of the Bohr magneton.

Precision atomic spectroscopy for improved limits on variation of the fine structure constant and local position invariance

We report tests of local position invariance and the variation of fundamental constants from measurements of the frequency ratio of the 282-nm 199Hg+ optical clock transition to the ground state hyperfine splitting in 133Cs. Analysis of the frequency ratio of the two clocks, extending over 6 yr at NIST, is used to place a limit on its fractional variation of <5.8x10(-6) per change in normalized solar gravitational potential. The same frequency ratio is also used to obtain 20-fold improvement over previous limits on the fractional variation of the fine structure constant of |alpha/alpha|<1.3x10(-16) yr-1, assuming invariance of other fundamental constants. Comparisons of our results with those previously reported for the absolute optical frequency measurements in H and 171Yb+ vs other 133Cs standards yield a coupled constraint of -1.5x10(-15)<alpha/alpha<0.4x10(-15) yr-1 and -2.7x10(-15)<d/dtlnmicroCs/microB<8.6x10(-15) yr-1.

Kilohertz-resolution spectroscopy of cold atoms with an optical frequency comb

We have performed sub-Doppler spectroscopy on the narrow intercombination line of cold calcium atoms using the amplified output of a femtosecond laser frequency comb. Injection locking of a 657-nm diode laser with a femtosecond comb allows for two regimes of amplification, one in which many lines of the comb are amplified, and one where a single line is predominantly amplified. The output of the laser in both regimes was used to perform kilohertz-level spectroscopy. This experiment demonstrates the potential for high-resolution absolute-frequency spectroscopy over the entire spectrum of the frequency comb output using a single high-finesse optical reference cavity.

Can a quantum nondemolition measurement improve the sensitivity of an atomic magnetometer?

We consider the limitations due to noise (e.g., quantum projection noise and photon shot-noise) on the sensitivity of an idealized atomic magnetometer that utilizes spin squeezing induced by a continuous quantum nondemolition measurement. Such a magnetometer measures spin precession of N atomic spins by detecting optical rotation of far-detuned light. We show that for very short measurement times, the optimal sensitivity scales as N(-3/4); if strongly squeezed probe light is used, the Heisenberg limit of N-1 scaling can be achieved. However, if the measurement time exceeds tau(rel)/N(1/2) in the former case, or tau(rel)/N in the latter, where tau(rel) is the spin relaxation time, the scaling becomes N(-1/2), as for a standard shot-noise-limited magnetometer.

Magnetoelectric Jones dichroism in atoms

The authors suggest that atomic experiments measuring the interference between magnetic-dipole and electric-field-induced electric-dipole transition amplitudes provide a valuable system to study magnetoelectric Jones effects.