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arXiv · 0906.0586

Precision measurement of the lifetime of the 6p 2P_1/2 level of Yb+

S. Olmschenk·D. Hayes·D. N. Matsukevich·P. Maunz·D. L. Moehring·K. C. Younge·C. Monroe
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Abstract

We present a precise measurement of the lifetime of the 6p 2P_1/2 excited state of a single trapped ytterbium ion (Yb+). A time-correlated single-photon counting technique is used, where ultrafast pulses excite the ion and the emitted photons are coupled into a single-mode optical fiber. By performing the measurement on a single atom with fast excitation and excellent spatial filtering, we are able to eliminate common systematics. The lifetime of the 6p 2P_1/2 state is measured to be 8.12 +/- 0.02 ns.

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S. Olmschenk, D. Hayes, D. N. Matsukevich, P. Maunz, D. L. Moehring, K. C. Younge, C. Monroe. 2009-06-02. Precision measurement of the lifetime of the 6p 2P_1/2 level of Yb+. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.80.022502

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