An Optical Lattice Clock with Spin-polarized 87Sr Atoms

We present a new evaluation of an 87Sr optical lattice clock using spin polarized atoms. The frequency of the 1S0-3P0 clock transition is found to be 429 228 004 229 873.6 Hz with a fractional accuracy of 2.6 10^{-15}, a value that is comparable to the frequency difference between the various primary standards throughout the world. This measurement is in excellent agreement with a previous one of similar accuracy

Trapping of Neutral Mercury Atoms and Prospects for Optical Lattice Clocks

We report a vapor-cell magneto-optical trapping of Hg isotopes on the ${}^1S_0-{}^3P_1$ intercombination transition. Six abundant isotopes, including four bosons and two fermions, were trapped. Hg is the heaviest non-radioactive atom trapped so far, which enables sensitive atomic searches for ``new physics'' beyond the standard model. We propose an accurate optical lattice clock based on Hg and evaluate its systematic accuracy to be better than $10^{-18}$. Highly accurate and stable Hg-based clocks will provide a new avenue for the research of optical lattice clocks and the time variation of the fine-structure constant.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Measuring the frequency of a Sr optical lattice clock using a 120-km coherent optical transfer

We demonstrate a precision frequency measurement using a phase-stabilized 120-km optical fiber link over a physical distance of 50 km. The transition frequency of the 87Sr optical lattice clock at the University of Tokyo is measured to be 429228004229874.1(2.4) Hz referenced to international atomic time (TAI). The measured frequency agrees with results obtained in Boulder and Paris at a 6*10^-16 fractional level, which matches the current best evaluations of Cs primary frequency standards. The results demonstrate the excellent functions of the intercity optical fibre link, and the great potential of optical lattice clocks for use in the redefinition of the second.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figure

Accurate spectroscopy of Sr atoms

We report the frequency measurement with an accuracy in the 100 kHz range of several optical transitions of atomic Sr : $^1S_0- ^3P_1$ at 689 nm, $^3P_1- ^3S_1$ at 688 nm and $^3P_0- ^3S_1$ at 679 nm. Measurements are performed with a frequency chain based on a femtosecond laser referenced to primary frequency standards. They allowed the indirect determination with a 70 kHz uncertainty of the frequency of the doubly forbidden 5s^2^1S_0- 5s5p^3P_0 transition of $^{87}$Sr at 698 nm and in a second step its direct observation. Frequency measurements are performed for $^{88}$Sr and $^{87}$Sr, allowing the determination of $^3P_0$, $^3P_1$ and $^3S_1$ isotope shifts, as well as the $^3S_1$ hyperfine constants.Comment: 12 pages, 16 figure

Possibility of an ultra-precise optical clock using the 61S0→63P0o6 ^1S_0 \to 6 ^3P^o_0 transition in 171,173^{171, 173}Yb atoms held in an optical lattice

We report calculations designed to assess the ultimate precision of an atomic clock based on the 578 nm $6 ^1S_0 --> 6 ^3P^o_0$ transition in Yb atoms confined in an optical lattice trap. We find that this transition has a natural linewidth less than 10 mHz in the odd Yb isotopes, caused by hyperfine coupling. The shift in this transition due to the trapping light acting through the lowest order AC polarizability is found to become zero at the magic trap wavelength of about 752 nm. The effects of Rayleigh scattering, higher-order polarizabilities, vector polarizability, and hyperfine induced electronic magnetic moments can all be held below a mHz (about a part in 10^{18}), except in the case of the hyperpolarizability larger shifts due to nearly resonant terms cannot be ruled out without an accurate measurement of the magic wavelength.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Recovery of Electron/Proton Radiation-Induced Defects in n+p AlInGaP Solar Cell by Minority-Carrier Injection Annealing

A high efficient In0.48Ga0.52P/In0.01Ga0.99As/Ge triple junction solar cell has been developed for application in space and terrestrial concentrator PV system [1-3]. Recently, a high conversion efficiency of 31.5% (AM1.5G) has been obtained in InGaP/(In)GaAs/Ge triple junction solar cell, and as a new top cell material of triple junction cells, (Al)InGaP [1] has been proposed to improve the open-circuit voltage (Voc) because it shows a higher Voc of 1.5V while maintaining the same short-circuit current (ISC) as a conventional InGaP top cell under AM1.5G conditions as seen in figure 1 (a). Moreover, the spectral response of 1.96eV AlInGaP cell with a thickness of 2.5..m shows a higher response in the long wavelength region, compared with that of 1.87eV InGaP cell with 0.6..m thickness, as shown in figure 1 (b). Its development will realize next generation multijunction (MJ) solar cells such as a lattice mismatched AlInGaP/InGaAs/Ge 3-junction and lattice matched AlInGaP/GaAs/InGaAsN/Ge 4-junction solar cells. Figure 2 shows the super high-efficiency MJ solar cell structures and wide band spectral response by MJ solar cells under AM1.5G conditions. For realizing high efficient MJ space solar cells, the higher radiation-resistance under the electron or proton irradiation is required. The irradiation studies for a conventional top cell InGaP have been widely done [4-6], but little irradiation work has been performed on AlInGaP solar cells. Recently, we made the first reports of 1 MeV electron or 30 keV proton irradiation effects on AlInGaP solar cells, and evaluated the defects generated by the irradiation [7,8]. The present study describes the recovery of 1 MeV electron / 30 keV proton irradiation-induced defects in n+p- AlInGaP solar cells by minority-carrier injection enhanced annealing or isochronal annealing. The origins of irradiation-induced defects observed by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) measurements are discussed

Coherence of Spin-Polarized Fermions Interacting with a Clock Laser in a Stark-Shift-Free Optical Lattice

We investigated the coherence of spin-polarized ^{87}Sr atoms trapped in a light-shift-free one-dimensional optical lattice during their interaction with a clock laser on the ^1S_0-^3P_0 transition. Collapses and revivals appeared for more than 50 Rabi cycles, attributed to the thermal distribution of discrete vibrational states in the lattice potential. The population oscillation in the clock states lasted more than 1s, demonstrating high immunity from decoherence. This long atomic coherence suggests the feasibility of Pauli blocking of collisions in optical clock excitation.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure

Characterization of the absolute frequency stability of an individual reference cavity

We demonstrated for the first time the characterization of absolute frequency stability of three reference cavities by cross beating three laser beams which are independently locked to these reference cavities. This method shows the individual feature of each reference cavity, while conventional beatnote measurement between two cavities can only provide an upper bound. This method allows for numerous applications such as optimizing the performance of the reference cavity for optical clockwork.Comment: 3 figures, 9 page

A surface-patterned chip as a strong source of ultracold atoms for quantum technologies

Laser-cooled atoms are central to modern precision measurements. They are also increasingly important as an enabling technology for experimental cavity quantum electrodynamics, quantum information processing and matter–wave interferometry. Although significant progress has been made in miniaturizing atomic metrological devices, these are limited in accuracy by their use of hot atomic ensembles and buffer gases. Advances have also been made in producing portable apparatus that benefits from the advantages of atoms in the microkelvin regime. However, simplifying atomic cooling and loading using microfabrication technology has proved difficult. In this Letter we address this problem, realizing an atom chip that enables the integration of laser cooling and trapping into a compact apparatus. Our source delivers ten thousand times more atoms than previous magneto-optical traps with microfabricated optics and, for the first time, can reach sub-Doppler temperatures. Moreover, the same chip design offers a simple way to form stable optical lattices. These features, combined with simplicity of fabrication and ease of operation, make these new traps a key advance in the development of cold-atom technology for high-accuracy, portable measurement devices