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arXiv · 0808.4061

Frequency Metrology on single trapped ions in the weak binding limit: The 3s1/2-3p3/2 transition in 24-Mg+

M. Herrmann·V. Batteiger·S. Knünz·G. Saathoff·Th. Udem·T. W. Hänsch
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Abstract

We demonstrate a method for precision spectroscopy on trapped ions in the limit of unresolved motional sidebands. By sympathetic cooling of a chain of crystallized ions we suppress adverse temperature variations induced by the spectroscopy laser that usually lead to a distorted line profle and obtain a Voigt profile with negligible distortions. We applied the method to measure the absolute frequency of the astrophysically relevant D2 transition in single 24-Mg+ ions and find 1072082934.33(16)MHz, a nearly 400fold improvement over previous results. Further, we find the excited state lifetime to be 3.84(10) ns.

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M. Herrmann, V. Batteiger, S. Knünz, G. Saathoff, Th. Udem, T. W. Hänsch. 2009-01-16. Frequency Metrology on single trapped ions in the weak binding limit: The 3s1/2-3p3/2 transition in 24-Mg+. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.102.013006

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