Ground-state Hyperfine Research Articles

Effect of dephasing on modulation transfer in potassium

In this work, experimental studies on the effect of dephasing on modulation transfer are reported. Here Potassium D1 transition, i.e., 39K 4S1/2(F) → 4P1/2(F/), is used as the medium. The 4 S→4P connection is modified by introducing two independent lasers. The separation between ground hyperfine states 4S1/2(F = 2,1) is almost half of Doppler width (~ 815 MHz). Hence, the two-level connections satisfied by respective lasers are overlapping in nature. In such cases, the existing optical pumping for particular F = 1, 2→ F/ channel influences each other. Further, the D1 transition itself is an open transition, i.e., it does not have any cyclic decay route. Hence, decay from each of the F/=2,1 states can also influence the population in the other F/state. Our pump-probe spectroscopy results clearly show the presence of Four Wave Mixing due to degenerate two-level and Vee (V) coupling, Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT) signals due to single Lambda (Λ) and Double Λ connections. We have studied these signals as a function of dephasing, which is mainly contributed by transit time broadening for two different regimes of pump laser intensities: (i) below and (ii) above saturation intensity level of 4S1/2(F) → 4P1/2(F/) transition. The pump laser is current modulated, and phase-sensitive detection is performed on the probe transmission to study modulation transfer under different values of coherent dephasing. For this purpose, the beam size of the pump laser is varied systematically. This study provides a scope to explore the modulation transfer as a function of transit time broadening, and it may find applications in photonics technology where potassium vapor is used as a medium.

CPT and Lorentz symmetry tests with hydrogen using a novel in-beam hyperfine spectroscopy method applicable to antihydrogen experiments

We present a Rabi-type measurement of two ground-state hydrogen hyperfine transitions performed in two opposite external magnetic field directions. This puts first constraints at the level of ▪ on a set of coefficients of the Standard Model Extension, which were not measured by previous experiments. Moreover, we introduce a novel method, applicable to antihydrogen hyperfine spectroscopy in a beam, that determines the zero-field hyperfine transition frequency from the two transitions measured at the same magnetic field. Our value, ▪, is in agreement with literature at a relative precision of 0.44 ppb. This is the highest precision achieved on hydrogen in a beam, improving over previous results by a factor of 6.

Determination of the ground-state hyperfine splitting of trapped 171Yb+ ions

We present the determination of the ground-state hyperfine splitting (νHFS) in laser-cooled 171Yb+ ions using our microwave quantum frequency standard (QFS). Employing Ramsey spectroscopy in a closed-loop measurement configuration, we have achieved a νHFS value of 12 642 812 118 469.0(8) mHz with a fractional uncertainty of 6.6×10−14. This result aligns with previously reported values and represents the highest accuracy reported to date for such measurements conducted in a single-shot closed-loop configuration, without averaging over multiple dates. The development of this accurate 171Yb+ microwave QFS holds promise as a transportable time-frequency reference for satellite navigation systems.

Anomalous to normal dispersion nonlinear optical dephasing switch in electromagnetically induced transparency using a Kerr effect

The atomic decoherence effect (DE) on a Kerr nonlinear (KNL) electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT)is studied in a Δ system. The DE between the ground state hyperfine levels is caused by the dephasing rate γ d which dramatically modifies the medium response. It controls the normal dispersive region which shows steep positive slopes for linear response at the line center while the nonlinear response experiences steep negative slopes for low γ d . The microwave field strength and γ d modify the nonlinear response from the anomalous dispersion to normal dispersion. The calculations show that room-temperature atoms are used to quantify the quantum interference (QI) on linear and nonlinear absorption with γ d . The EIT spectrum explores the understanding of the subluminal and superluminal wave propagation of probe signal and this study opens a new pathway for the understanding of the QI devices and their nonlinearities based on EIT.

Cavity QED systems for steady-state sources of Wigner-negative light

We present a theoretical investigation of optical cavity quantum electrodynamics (cavity QED) systems, as described by the driven, open Jaynes–Cummings model and some of its variants, as potential sources of steady-state Wigner-negative light. We consider temporal modes in the continuous output field from the cavity and demonstrate pronounced negativity in their Wigner distributions for experimentally relevant parameter regimes. We consider models of both single and collective atomic spin systems, and find a rich structure of Wigner-distribution negativity as the spin size is varied. We also demonstrate an effective realization of all of the models considered using just a single 87Rb atom and based upon combinations of laser- and laser-plus-cavity-driven Raman transitions between magnetic sublevels in a single ground hyperfine state.

Enhanced Quantum Control of Individual Ultracold Molecules Using Optical Tweezer Arrays

Control over the quantum states of individual molecules is crucial in the quest to harness their rich internal structure and dipolar interactions for applications in quantum science. In this paper, we develop a toolbox of techniques for the control and readout of individually trapped polar molecules in an array of optical tweezers. Starting with arrays of up to eight Rb and eight Cs atoms, we assemble arrays of RbCs molecules in their rovibrational and hyperfine ground state with an overall efficiency of 48(2)%. We demonstrate global microwave control of multiple rotational states of the molecules and use an auxiliary tweezer array to implement site-resolved addressing and state control. We show how the rotational state of the molecule can be mapped onto the position of Rb atoms and use this capability to readout multiple rotational states in a single experimental run. Further, using a scheme for the midsequence detection of molecule formation errors, we perform rearrangement of assembled molecules to prepare small defect-free arrays. Finally, we discuss a feasible route to scaling to larger arrays of molecules. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Dual-mode rectangular microwave cavity for precision spectroscopy of hyperfine structure in muonium

Precision microwave spectroscopy of the ground-state hyperfine structure in muonium provides a stringent test of the Standard Model in particle physics. The MuSEUM collaboration is preparing for such a measurement, aiming for precision down to ≈1ppb, utilizing the world’s most intense pulsed muon beam at J-PARC. The measurement of the Zeeman-split structure with an external magnetic field of 1.7T also precisely determines the muon’s magnetic moment (≈10ppb). In the future, improved precision of the magnetic moment can be potentially obtained by measurements with different magnetic field strengths, however, it entails upgrading current cylindrical microwave cavities to rectangular ones. As the first step for the upgrade, we have developed a dual-mode rectangular cavity for the measurement with 2.9T field. The electromagnetic design and production have been established, and frequency sweeping with two desired modes has been successfully demonstrated. Moreover, the overall performance of the measurement at 2.9T field was evaluated with Monte Carlo simulations. These studies pave the way for a further extension of the MuSEUM experiment at various strengths of the magnetic fields.

Modulation transfer spectroscopy of the D1 transition of potassium: theory and experiment

We report on a study of modulation transfer spectroscopy of the 4S1/2→4P1/2 (D1) transition of naturally abundant potassium in a room-temperature vapour cell. This transition is critical for laser cooling and optical pumping of potassium and our study is therefore motivated by the need for robust laser frequency stabilisation. Despite the absence of a closed transition, the small ground-state hyperfine splitting in potassium results in strong crossover features in the D1 modulation transfer spectrum. To emphasise this we compare the D1 and D2 spectra of potassium with those of rubidium. Further, we compare our experimental results with a detailed theoretical simulation, examining different pump–probe polarisation configurations to identify the optimal signals for laser frequency stabilisation. We find good agreement between the experiment and the theory, especially for the lin∥lin polarisation configuration.

Sub-Doppler laser cooling and magnetic trapping of natural-abundance fermionic potassium

We demonstrate the largest number of 40K atoms that has ever been cooled to deeply sub-Doppler temperatures in a single-chamber apparatus without using an enriched source of potassium. With gray molasses cooling on the D 1-line following a standard D 2-line magneto-optical trap, we obtain 3×105 atoms at 10(2) µK. We reach densities high enough to measure the temperature via absorption imaging using the time-of-flight method. We magnetically trap a mixture of mF=−3/2,−5/2 and −7/2 Zeeman states of the F=7/2 hyperfine ground state confining 5×104 atoms with a lifetime of 0.6 s or ∼103 atoms with a lifetime of 2.8 s—depending on whether the temperature of the potassium dispensers was chosen to maximize the atom number or the lifetime. The background pressure-limited lifetime of 0.6 s is a reasonable starting point for proof-of-principle experiments with atoms and/or molecules in optical tweezers as well as for sympathetic cooling with another species if transport to a secondary chamber is implemented. Our results show that unenriched potassium can be used to optimize experimental setups containing 40K in the initial stages of their construction, which can effectively extend the lifetime of enriched sources. Moreover, the demonstration of sub-Doppler cooling and magnetic trapping of a relatively small number of potassium atoms might influence experiments with laser-cooled radioactive isotopes of potassium.

Resolved Raman sideband cooling of a single optically trapped cesium atom.

We developed a resolved Raman sideband cooling scheme that can efficiently prepare a single optically trapped cesium (Cs) atom in its motional ground states. A two-photon Raman process between two outermost Zeeman sublevels in a single hyperfine state is applied to reduce the phonon number. Our scheme is less sensitive to the variation in the magnetic field than the commonly used scheme where the two outermost Zeeman sublevels belonging to the two separate ground hyperfine states are taken. Fast optical pumping with less spontaneous emission guarantees the efficiency of the cooling process. After cooling for 50 ms, 82% of the Cs atoms populate their three-dimensional ground states. Our scheme improves the long-term stability of Raman sideband cooling in the presence of magnetic field drift and is thus suitable for cooling other trapped atoms or ions with abundant magnetic sublevels.

Relationship between coherent population trapping oscillation and Raman detuning

Coherent population trapping (CPT) oscillation is a transient oscillation phenomenon based on the CPT effect, which is related to the Raman detuning of the coherent bichromatic laser fields from the hyperfine ground-states of three-level Λ system. In this work, sawtooth wave is adopted to modulate the frequency of microwave signal to make Raman detuning change uniformly and stepping. Meanwhile, by building the relationship between the microwave frequency modulation rate and the change rate of Raman detuning, the effects of the change rate and mode of Raman detuning on CPT oscillation are analyzed respectively. The results reveal that when the Raman detuning changes uniformly, the CPT oscillation will occur on condition that the change rate is high enough, and the excited oscillations show non-harmonic oscillation behavior. When the Raman detuning is triggered off by step change, the excited CPT oscillation is a damping oscillation, and the oscillation frequency is equal to the frequency of Raman detuning. The modulation of Raman detuning is realized by using sawtooth wave to modulate the microwave frequency, and then the complete establishment of CPT state and the complete attenuation of CPT oscillation process are achieved. This work presents a new modulation method to realize the CPT oscillation, which shows great application potential in the field of weak magnetic measurements and atomic clocks.

Improved Measurements of Muonic Helium Ground-State Hyperfine Structure at a Near-Zero Magnetic Field.

Muonic helium atom hyperfine structure (HFS) measurements are a sensitive tool to test the three-body atomic system and bound-state quantum electrodynamics theory, and determine fundamental constants of the negative muon magnetic moment and mass. The world's most intense pulsed negative muon beam at the Muon Science Facility of the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex allows improvement of previous measurements and testing further CPT invariance by comparing the magnetic moments and masses of positive and negative muons (second-generation leptons). We report new ground-state HFS measurements of muonic helium-4 atoms at a near-zero magnetic field, performed for the first time using a small admixture of CH_{4} as an electron donor to form neutral muonic helium atoms efficiently. Our analysis gives Δν=4464.980(20) MHz (4.5ppm), which is more precise than both previous measurements at weak and high fields. The muonium ground-state HFS was also measured under the same conditions to investigate the isotopic effect on the frequency shift due to the gas density dependence in He with CH_{4} admixture and compared with previous studies. Muonium and muonic helium can be regarded as light and heavy hydrogen isotopes with an isotopic mass ratio of 36. No isotopic effect was observed within the current experimental precision.

Quantum bistability in the hyperfine ground state of atoms

Quantum bistability in the hyperfine ground state of atoms

Enhancement of the laser-induced excitation probability of the hyperfine ground state of muonic hydrogen by a multipass cavity setup

Enhancement of the laser-induced excitation probability of the hyperfine ground state of muonic hydrogen by a multipass cavity setup

State carving in a chirally-coupled atom-nanophotonic cavity

Coherent quantum control of multiqubit systems represents one of the challenging tasks in quantum science and quantum technology. Here we theoretically investigate the reflectivity spectrum in an atom-nanophotonic cavity with collective nonreciprocal couplings. In the strong-coupling regime with a high cooperativity, we theoretically predict distinct on-resonance spectral dips owing to destructive interferences of chiral couplings. Due to the well-separated multiple dips in the spectrum, a contrasted reflectivity suggests a new control knob over the desired entangled state preparation in the basis of coupled and uncoupled states from the atoms’ internal hyperfine ground states. We propose to utilize such atom-nanophotonic cavity to quantum engineer the atomic internal states via photon-mediated dipole–dipole interactions in the coupled state and the chirality of decay channels, where the atomic Bell state and W states for arbitrary number of atoms can be tailored and heralded by state carving in the single-photon reflection spectrum. Our results pave the way toward quantum engineering of multiqubit states and offer new opportunities for coherent and scalable multipartite entanglement transport in atoms coupled to nanophotonic devices.

Diffusion of muonic hydrogen in hydrogen gas and the measurement of the 1$s$ hyperfine splitting of muonic hydrogen

The CREMA collaboration is pursuing a measurement of the ground-state hyperfine splitting (HFS) in muonic hydrogen (\muμp) with 1 ppm accuracy by means of pulsed laser spectroscopy. In the proposed experiment, the \muμp atom is excited by a laser pulse from the singlet to the triplet hyperfine sub-levels, and is quenched back to the singlet state by an inelastic collision with a H_22 molecule. The resulting increase of kinetic energy after this cycle modifies the \muμp atom diffusion in the hydrogen gas and the arrival time of the \muμp atoms at the target walls. This laser-induced modification of the arrival times is used to expose the atomic transition. In this paper we present the simulation of the \muμp diffusion in the H_22 gas which is at the core of the experimental scheme. These simulations have been implemented with the Geant4 framework by introducing various low-energy processes including the motion of the H_22 molecules, i.e. the effects related with the hydrogen target temperature. The simulations have been used to optimize the hydrogen target parameters (pressure, temperatures and thickness) and to estimate signal and background rates. These rates allow to estimate the maximum time needed to find the resonance and the statistical accuracy of the spectroscopy experiment.

Atomic gravimeter robust to environmental effects

Atomic accelerometers and gravimeters are usually based on freely falling atoms in atomic fountains, which not only limits their size but also their robustness to environmental factors, such as tilts, magnetic fields, and vibrations. Such limitations have precluded their broad adoption in the field, for geophysics, geology, and inertial navigation. More recently, atom interferometers based on holding atoms in an optical lattice have been developed. Such gravimeters also suppress the influence of vibrations in the frequency range of ∼1 Hz and above by several orders of magnitude relative to conventional atomic gravimeters. Here, we show that such interferometers are robust to tilts of more than 8 mrad with respect to the vertical and can suppress the effect of even strong environmental magnetic fields and field gradients by using atoms in the F=3, 4 hyperfine ground states as co-magnetometers, potentially eliminating the need for shielding. We demonstrate gravimeter sensitivity of 0.7 mGal/Hz (1 mGal = 10 μm/s2) in a compact geometry where atoms only travel over millimeters of space.

Multi-frequency Doppler-free spectroscopy of cesium using an external cavity diode laser

We employed a different approach to develop multi-frequency saturated-absorption spectroscopy (SAS) involving both cesium hyperfine ground state levels using a multimode external cavity diode laser (ECDL), which could operate with neither another independent laser nor a modulator. The multi-frequency SAS is formed by atomic velocity groups on resonance with both of the laser modes from an ECDL in multimode operation, which are counterpropagated through the vapor cell as a quasicoherent pair of laser beams. A sign reversal of the sub-Doppler resonance under special pump–probe polarization with and without applied magnetic fields is observed. Simultaneously, the optical microwave generation of the multimode ECDL is also investigated experimentally. The free-running linewidth of the beat note spectra between two modes is about 475 Hz, which indicates a high coherence between them. This oscillator- and modulator-free approach provides a complementary scheme for existing optical microwave generation and has potential for improvements.

Hyperfine states of erbium doped yttrium orthosilicate for long-coherence-time quantum memories

Due to their unique optical transition at 1.5 μm, erbium-doped crystals are one of the best candidates for the realization of quantum memories at telecommunication wavelengths. While the hyperfine states of erbium doped yttrium orthosilicate hold the possibility of achieving ultra-long coherence times for a quantum memory, the complexity of their hyperfine structures leads to inaccurate theoretical prediction, thus hindering the extending of the coherence times. Here, we report a set of spin-Hamiltonian parameters with sufficient predictive power on the coherence times of the erbium hyperfine states. Our calculation simultaneously takes into account both the data measured in Electron-Paramagnetic-Resonance and Raman-heterodyne experiments. Based on the new parameters, the coherence properties of the hyperfine ground states are discussed. At zero applied magnetic field, all hyperfine transitions between the ground states are transitions with zero-first-order-Zeeman (ZEFOZ) effect, manifesting both long coherence times and strong transition strengths. By turning up the magnetic field, it is possible to further extend the coherence times to the scale of hours. The long coherence times at ZEFOZ transitions can be an important step forward in creating long-lived telecommunication quantum memories.

Questioning the Administrative Accountability of the ITU on the QUESS Oversight

In accordance with the SI unit of the unperturbed ground-state hyperfine transition frequency of the cesium 133 atom, Eutelsat has secured the safety procedures of telecommunication decays in the development of quantum communication technology. As observers of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is bound for intergovernmental observers with specialized agencies of the United Nations and IAEA based on reciprocity. The apparent overpowered photon beam of the Quantum Experiment at Space Scale (QUESS) military intelligence purposed telecommunication encryption designs launched around 2016, along with a German photon experiment directed at earth, were neither intervened by the ITU nor the IAEA. According to Article 10 63. 1. of the International Telecommunication Convention, the ITU is responsible with International Frequency Registration Board for the administrative accountability, however, Article 8 54. (3) gives rent to the administrative powers of the organization for agenda settings by the Secretary-General. The article analyzes and questions the administrative accountability of the ITU in the oversight of the high energy photon applications in the telecommunications and if the IAEA was informed by the International Frequency Registration Board on this matter. Correlated behaviors in the cyber-based criminology, with significant impact on public health and biological integrity from such operations, is supplemented for the alteration of financial & economic incentives in the democratic systems, which constituted the liberal International institutionalism. The research contends that criminal liabilities ought to be sought for in the criminological chain.