Collisional losses, decoherence, and frequency shifts in optical lattice clocks with bosons

We have quantified collisional losses, decoherence and the collision shift in a one-dimensional optical lattice clock with bosonic 88Sr. The lattice clock is referenced to the highly forbidden transition 1S0 - 3P0 at 698 nm, which becomes weakly allowed due to state mixing in a homogeneous magnetic field. We were able to quantify three decoherence coefficients, which are due to dephasing collisions, inelastic collisions between atoms in the upper and lower clock state, and atoms in the upper clock state only. Based on the measured coefficients, we determine the operation parameters at which a 1D-lattice clock with 88Sr shows no degradation due to collisions on the relative accuracy level of 10-16.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Extreme non-linear response of ultra-narrow optical transitions in cavity QED for laser stabilization

We explore the potential of direct spectroscopy of ultra-narrow optical transitions of atoms localized in an optical cavity. In contrast to stabilization against a reference cavity, which is the approach currently used for the most highly stabilized lasers, stabilization against an atomic transition does not suffer from Brownian thermal noise. Spectroscopy of ultra-narrow optical transitions in a cavity operates in a very highly saturated regime in which non-linear effects such as bistability play an important role. From the universal behavior of the Jaynes-Cummings model with dissipation, we derive the fundamental limits for laser stabilization using direct spectroscopy of ultra-narrow atomic lines. We find that with current lattice clock experiments, laser linewidths of about 1 mHz can be achieved in principle, and the ultimate limitations of this technique are at the 1 $\mu$ Hz level.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Dynamic acoustic field activated cell separation (DAFACS)

Advances in diagnostics, cell and stem cell technologies drive the development of application-specific tools for cell and particle separation. Acoustic micro-particle separation offers a promising avenue for highthroughput, label-free, high recovery, cell and particle separation and isolation in regenerative medicine. Here, we demonstrate a novel approach utilizing a dynamic acoustic field that is capable of separating an arbitrary size range of cells. We first demonstrate the method for the separation of particles with different diameters between 6 and 45 μm and secondly particles of different densities in a heterogeneous medium. The dynamic acoustic field is then used to separate dorsal root ganglion cells. The shearless, label-free and low damage characteristics make this method of manipulation particularly suited for biological applications. Advantages of using a dynamic acoustic field for the separation of cells include its inherent safety and biocompatibility, the possibility to operate over large distances (centimetres), high purity (ratio of particle population, up to 100%), and high efficiency (ratio of separated particles over total number of particles to separate, up to 100%)

Locking Local Oscillator Phase to the Atomic Phase via Weak Measurement

We propose a new method to reduce the frequency noise of a Local Oscillator (LO) to the level of white phase noise by maintaining (not destroying by projective measurement) the coherence of the ensemble pseudo-spin of atoms over many measurement cycles. This scheme uses weak measurement to monitor the phase in Ramsey method and repeat the cycle without initialization of phase and we call, "atomic phase lock (APL)" in this paper. APL will achieve white phase noise as long as the noise accumulated during dead time and the decoherence are smaller than the measurement noise. A numerical simulation confirms that with APL, Allan deviation is averaged down at a maximum rate that is proportional to the inverse of total measurement time, tau^-1. In contrast, the current atomic clocks that use projection measurement suppress the noise only down to the level of white frequency, in which case Allan deviation scales as tau^-1/2. Faraday rotation is one of the possible ways to realize weak measurement for APL. We evaluate the strength of Faraday rotation with 171Yb+ ions trapped in a linear rf-trap and discuss the performance of APL. The main source of the decoherence is a spontaneous emission induced by the probe beam for Faraday rotation measurement. One can repeat the Faraday rotation measurement until the decoherence become comparable to the SNR of measurement. We estimate this number of cycles to be ~100 cycles for a realistic experimental parameter.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figures, submitted to New Journal of Physic

Transverse laser cooling of a thermal atomic beam of dysprosium

A thermal atomic beam of dysprosium (Dy) atoms is cooled using the $4f^{10}6s^2 (J=8) \to 4f^{10}6s6p (J=9)$ transition at 421 nm. The cooling is done via a standing light wave orthogonal to the atomic beam. Efficient transverse cooling to the Doppler limit is demonstrated for all observable isotopes of dysprosium. Branching ratios to metastable states are demonstrated to be $<5\times10^{-4}$. A scheme for enhancement of the nonzero-nuclear-spin-isotope cooling, as well as a method for direct identification of possible trap states, is proposed.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures v2: 7 pages, 7 figure

An ultrastable silicon cavity in a continuously operating closed-cycle cryostat at 4 K

We report on a laser locked to a silicon cavity operating continuously at 4 K with $1 \times 10^{-16}$ instability and a median linewidth of 17 mHz at 1542 nm. This is a ten-fold improvement in short-term instability, and a $10^4$ improvement in linewidth, over previous sub-10 K systems. Operating at low temperatures reduces the thermal noise floor, and thus is advantageous toward reaching an instability of $10^{-18}$, a long-sought goal of the optical clock community. The performance of this system demonstrates the technical readiness for the development of the next generation of ultrastable lasers that operate with ultranarrow linewidth and long-term stability without user intervention.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Products Liability for Third Party Replacement or Connected Parts: Changing Tides from the West

This Article examines the development of tort law as it applies to the compensation of victims of asbestos exposure; surveys the current landscape regarding the novel products liability claims brought against manufacturers for hazards associated with replacement or associated parts, as well as discuss how courts have wrestled with this issue; and draws upon recent decisions from Washington and California to advocate a bright-line rule that limits liability to those third-party manufacturers in a harmful product’s chain of distribution

Long range transport of ultra cold atoms in a far-detuned 1D optical lattice

We present a novel method to transport ultra cold atoms in a focused optical lattice over macroscopic distances of many Rayleigh ranges. With this method ultra cold atoms were transported over 5 cm in 250 ms without significant atom loss or heating. By translating the interference pattern together with the beam geometry the trap parameters are maintained over the full transport range. Thus, the presented method is well suited for tightly focused optical lattices that have sufficient trap depth only close to the focus. Tight focusing is usually required for far-detuned optical traps or traps that require high laser intensity for other reasons. The transport time is short and thus compatible with the operation of an optical lattice clock in which atoms are probed in a well designed environment spatially separated from the preparation and detection region.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figure