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.
We examine a range of effects arising from ac magnetic fields in high precision metrology. These results are directly relevant to high precision measurements, and accuracy assessments for state-ofthe-art optical clocks. Strategies to characterize these effects are discussed and a simple technique to accurately determine trap-induced ac magnetic fields in a linear Paul trap is demonstrated using 171 Yb + .
Measurement of the branching ratios for 6P 1/2 decays to 6S 1/2 and 5D 3/2 in 138 Ba + are reported with the decay probability from 6P 1/2 to 5D 3/2 measured to be p = 0.268177 ± (37)stat − (20)sys. This result differs from a recent report by 12σ. A detailed account of systematics is given and the likely source of the discrepancy is identified. The new value of the branching ratio is combined with a previous experimental results to give a new estimate of τ = 7.855(10) ns for the 6P 1/2 lifetime. In addition, ratios of matrix elements calculated from theory are combined with experimental results to provide improved theoretical estimates of the 6P 3/2 lifetime and the associated matrix elements. arXiv:1905.06523v1 [physics.atom-ph]
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