A simplified optical lattice clock

Abstract

Existing optical lattice clocks demonstrate a high level of performance, but they remain complex experimental devices. In order to address a wider range of applications including those requiring transportable devices, it will be necessary to simplify the laser systems and reduce the amount of support hardware. Here we demonstrate two significant steps towards this goal: demonstration of clock signals from a Sr lattice clock based solely on semiconductor laser technology, and a method for finding the clock transition (based on a coincidence in atomic wavelengths) that removes the need for extensive frequency metrology hardware. Moreover, the unexpected high contrast in the signal revealed evidence of density dependent collisions in Sr-88 atoms.

6 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Appl. Phys. B

References in corpus (9)

• Sr lattice clock at 1x10^{-16} fractional uncertainty by remote optical evaluation with a Ca clock
• Compact, thermal-noise-limited optical cavity for diode laser stabilization at 1 x 10-15
• New Limits on Coupling of Fundamental Constants to Gravity Using ${}^{87}$Sr Optical Lattice Clocks
• ${}^{87}$Sr lattice clock with inaccuracy below 10${}^{-15}$
• An Optical Lattice Clock with Spin-polarized 87Sr Atoms
• Accuracy Evaluation of an Optical Lattice Clock with Bosonic Atoms
• Frequency evaluation of the doubly forbidden ${}^1{S}_0{\to }^3{P}_0$ transition in bosonic ${}^{174}$Yb
• Precision frequency measurement of visible intercombination lines of strontium
• Optical transfer cavity stabilization using current-modulated injection-locked diode lasers

Cited by in corpus (6)

• Microscopic control and detection of ultracold strontium in optical-tweezer arrays
• A transportable strontium optical lattice clock
• A simplified 461-nm laser system using blue laser diodes and a hollow cathode lamp for laser cooling of Sr
• A high stability semiconductor laser system for a ${}^{88}$Sr-based optical lattice clock
• The frequency of the ultranarrow ${}^1{\text{S}}_0-{}^3{\text{P}}_2$ transition in ${}^{87}\text{Sr}$
• Simulation of optical lattice trap loading from a cold atomic ensemble