Optical double-resonance cooled-atom spectroscopy

Abstract

We demonstrate that laser cooling, combined with $V$-scheme optical double-resonance spectroscopy, provides a sensitive means to measure isotope shifts and hyperfine splittings. Our technique is illustrated using the 398.8-nm ${(6s}^{2}{)}^{1}{S}_{0}{\ensuremath{-}(6s6p)}^{1}{P}_{1}$ and 555.6-nm ${(6s}^{2}{)}^{1}{S}_{0}{\ensuremath{-}(6s6p)}^{3}{P}_{1}$ transitions in a neutral ytterbium atomic beam having natural isotopic composition. With a precision comparable to existing approaches, our unique method has enabled the most complete single-technique survey to date of the ${}^{1}{S}_{0}{\ensuremath{-}}^{1}{P}_{1}$ isotope shifts and hyperfine splittings.