Precision Measurements of the

Measurement of the ^{138}Ba^{+} ^{2}S_{1/2}-^{2}D_{5/2} clock transition frequency and D_{5/2} Landé g_{J} factor are reported. The clock transition frequency ν_{Ba^{+}}=170126432449333.31±(0.39)_{stat}±(0.29)_{sys} Hz, is obtained with accuracy limited by the frequency calibration of the maser used as a reference oscillator. The Landé g_{J} factor for the ^{2}D_{5/2} level is determined to be g_{D}=1.20036739(24), which is a 30-fold improvement on previous measurements. The g-factor measurements are corrected for an ac-magnetic field from trap-drive-induced currents in the electrodes, and data taken over a range of magnetic fields underscores the importance of accounting for this systematic.

Hyperfine Averaging by Dynamic Decoupling in a Multi-Ion Lutetium Clock.

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a scheme that realizes hyperfine averaging during a Ramsey interrogation of a clock transition. The method eliminates the need to average over multiple optical transitions, reduces the sensitivity of the clock to its environment, and reduces inhomogeneous broadening in a multi-ion clock. The method is compatible with autobalanced Ramsey spectroscopy, which facilitates the elimination of residual shifts due to imperfect implementation and ac stark shifts from the optical probe. We demonstrate the scheme using correlation spectroscopy of the ^{1}S_{0}↔^{3}D_{1} clock transition in a three-ion Lu^{+} clock. From the demonstration we are able to provide a measurement of the ^{3}D_{1} quadrupole moment, Θ(^{3}D_{1})=0.634(9)ea_{0}^{2}.

Suppressing Inhomogeneous Broadening in a Lutetium Multi-ion Optical Clock.

We demonstrate precision measurement and control of inhomogeneous broadening in a multi-ion clock consisting of three ^{176}Lu^{+} ions. Microwave spectroscopy between hyperfine states in the ^{3}D_{1} level is used to characterize differential systematic shifts between ions, most notably those associated with the electric quadrupole moment. By appropriate alignment of the magnetic field, we demonstrate suppression of these effects to the ∼10^{-17} level relative to the ^{1}S_{0}↔^{3}D_{1} optical transition frequency. Correlation spectroscopy on the optical transition demonstrates the feasibility of a 10-s Ramsey interrogation in the three ion configuration with a corresponding projection noise limited stability of σ(τ)=8.2×10^{-17}/sqrt[τ].

Blackbody radiation shift assessment for a lutetium ion clock.

The accuracy of state-of-the-art atomic clocks is derived from the insensitivity of narrow optical atomic resonances to environmental perturbations. Two such resonances in singly ionized lutetium have been identified with potentially lower sensitivities compared to other clock candidates. Here we report measurement of the most significant unknown atomic property of both transitions, the static differential scalar polarizability. From this, the fractional blackbody radiation shift for one of the transitions is found to be -1.36(9) × 10-18 at 300 K, the lowest of any established optical atomic clock. In consideration of leading systematic effects common to all ion clocks, both transitions compare favorably to the most accurate ion-based clocks reported to date. This work firmly establishes Lu+ as a promising candidate for a future generation of more accurate optical atomic clocks.