Fourier transform detection of weak optical transitions with cyclic routines

Abstract

We demonstrate a means of detecting weak optical transitions in cold atoms that undergo cyclic routines with high sensitivity. The gain in sensitivity is made by probing atoms on alternate cycles leading to a regular modulation of the ground state atom population when at the resonance frequency. The atomic transition is identified by conducting a fast Fourier transform via algorithm or instrument. We find an enhancement of detection sensitivity compared to more conventional scanning methods of $\sim 20$ for the same sampling time, and can detect clock lines with fewer than $10^3$ atoms in a magneto-optical trap. We apply the method to the $(6s^2)$ ${}^1{S}_0-(6s6p)$ ${}^3{P}_0$ clock transition in ${}^{171}$Yb and ${}^{173}$Yb. The ac-Stark shift of this line in ${}^{171}$Yb is measured to be 0.19(3) kHz$\cdot$W${}^{-1}\cdot$m${}^2$ at 556 nm.

arXiv comment6 pages, 6 figures

References in corpus (13)

• An atomic clock with $10^{-18}$ instability
• Evidence for Nonlinear Isotope Shift in Yb${}^{+}$ Search for New Boson
• Observation and absolute frequency measurements of the 1S0 - 3P0 optical clock transition in ytterbium
• Hyperfine quenching of the metastable ${}^3{P}_{0,2}$ states in divalent atoms
• Narrow Line Photoassociation in an Optical Lattice
• Isotope shift, non-linearity of King plots and the search for new particles
• Production of ultracold heteronuclear YbRb* molecules by photoassociation
• 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
• Improved isotope-shift-based bounds on bosons beyond the Standard Model through measurements of the ${}^2$D${}_{3/2}{-}^2$D${}_{5/2}$ interval in Ca${}^{+}$
• Production of ultracold Cs*Yb molecules by photoassociation
• Sub-Doppler cooling of ytterbium with the ${}^1{S}_0$-${}^1{P}_1$ transition including ${}^{171}$Yb (I=1/2)
• Clock and inter-combination line frequency separation in ${}^{171}$Yb

Cited by in corpus (1)

• Intercombination line frequencies in ${}^{171}$Yb validated with the clock transition