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Subrecoil Clock-Transition Laser Cooling Enabling Shallow Optical Lattice Clocks
X Zhang1,2, K Beloy1, Y S Hassan1,2
1National Institute of Standards and Technology, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|September 26, 2022
Summary
This study demonstrates a new laser cooling technique for ytterbium atoms, achieving ultracold temperatures in the nanokelvin regime. This method significantly enhances precision for atomic clocks and quantum control applications.
Area of Science:
- Atomic Physics
- Quantum Control
- Laser Cooling
Background:
- Divalent atoms typically use two-stage Doppler cooling to reach microkelvin temperatures.
- Achieving ultracold temperatures is crucial for advancing quantum control and precision measurements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To implement a pulsed radial cooling scheme for ytterbium atoms.
- To achieve subrecoil temperatures for enhanced quantum control.
- To prepare atoms in shallow lattices for improved atomic clock performance.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the ultranarrow 1S0–3P0 clock transition in ytterbium.
- Implemented a pulsed radial cooling scheme.
- Combined with one-dimensional lattice sideband cooling.
Main Results:
- Achieved subrecoil temperatures down to tens of nanokelvins.
- Prepared atoms in shallow lattices at an energy of 6 lattice recoils.
- Demonstrated that tunneling shifts do not compromise clock accuracy at the 10^-19 level.
Conclusions:
- The pulsed radial cooling scheme offers a significant advancement in laser cooling for atomic systems.
- Subrecoil cooling in shallow lattices dramatically reduces limits on lattice clock accuracy and instability.
- This technique paves the way for substantial improvements in atomic clock performance and quantum technologies.
