Optical Lattice Induced Light Shifts in a Yb Atomic Clock

Published

March 14, 2008

Author(s)

Zeb Barber, Jason Stalnaker, Nathan D. Lemke, Christopher W. Oates, Tara M. Fortier, Scott A. Diddams, Leo W. Hollberg, C Hoyt

Abstract

We present an experimental study of the lattice induced light shifts on the $^1S_0\rightarrow\,^3P_0$ clock transition of ytterbium. The ``magic'' frequency for the $^{174}$Yb isotope was determined to be $u_{magic} = 394\,799\,475(35)$MHz. The differential polarizability coefficient near the magic wavelength is $-22(1)$\,mHz/($E_r\cdot$GHz), therefore this measurement leads to a first order lattice shift uncertainty of less than 0.38\,Hz for a $500\,E_r$ lattice depth. Also investigated was the hyperpolarizability shifts due to the nearby $6s6p^3P_0\rightarrow6s8p\,^3P_0$ and $6s6p\,^3P_0\rightarrow6s5f\,^3F_2$ two photon resonances at 759.7082\,nm and 764.95\,nm respectively. By tuning the lattice frequency over the two photon resonances and measuring the corresponding clock transition shifts, the hyperpolarizability shift at the magic wavelength was estimated to be $180(35)$\,mHz for a linear polarized, $500\,E_r$ lattice. In addition, we have confirmed a circularly polarized lattice eliminates the $0\rightarrow0$ two photon resonance. These results indicate that the differential polarizability and hyperpolarizability shift uncertainties in a Yb lattice clock could be held to well below $10^{-17}$.

Citation

Physical Review A (Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics)

Volume

100

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

atomic clocks, optical lattices, Yb

Citation

Barber, Z. , Stalnaker, J. , Lemke, N. , Oates, C. , Fortier, T. , Diddams, S. , Hollberg, L. and Hoyt, C. (2008), Optical Lattice Induced Light Shifts in a Yb Atomic Clock, Physical Review A (Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics), [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=50603 (Accessed October 16, 2025)