The Development of Nuclear Frequency Standard with the Use of Ion Crystals Manipulation System

AbstractThe perspectives for the increase in the accuracy of optical frequency standards by means of the development of “nuclear clocks” – a novel frequency standard based on the nuclear transition to the long-living isomer nuclear state of thorium-229 with energy ∼7.6eV are discussed. Theoretical estimations give a possible accuracy Δν/ν ∼1×10-20, that allows wide scope of applications for a frequency standard, from satellite navigation systems to experimental verification of the principles of the general theory of relativity. The results are presented and the future prospects for research are discussed on the measurement of the isomeric transition in the nucleus of thorium-229 and creation on its basis the frequency standard of the new generation

Radiative Corrections to One-Photon Decays of Hydrogenic Ions

Radiative corrections to the decay rate of n=2 states of hydrogenic ions are calculated. The transitions considered are the M1 decay of the 2s state to the ground state and the E1(M2) decays of the $2p_{1/2}$ and $2p_{3/2}$ states to the ground state. The radiative corrections start in order $\alpha (Z \alpha)^2$, but the method used sums all orders of $Z\alpha$. The leading $\alpha (Z\alpha)^2$ correction for the E1 decays is calculated and compared with the exact result. The extension of the calculational method to parity nonconserving transitions in neutral atoms is discussed.Comment: 22 pages, 2 figure

Towards a sensitive search for variation of the fine structure constant using radio-frequency E1 transitions in atomic dysprosium

It has been proposed that the radio-frequency electric-dipole (E1) transition between two nearly degenerate opposite-parity states in atomic dysprosium should be highly sensitive to possible temporal variation of the fine structure constant ($\alpha$) [V. A. Dzuba, V. V. Flambaum, and J. K. Webb, Phys. Rev. A {\bf 59}, 230 (1999)]. We analyze here an experimental realization of the proposed search in progress in our laboratory, which involves monitoring the E1 transition frequency over a period of time using direct frequency counting techniques. We estimate that a statistical sensitivity of |\adota| \sim 10^{-18}/yr may be achieved and discuss possible systematic effects that may limit such a measurement.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure