Multipole, nonlinear, and anharmonic uncertainties of clocks of Sr atoms in an optical lattice

Magnetic-dipole, electric-quadrupole, and hyperpolarizability effects on clock energy levels are analyzed in detail for Sr atoms in Stark potentials of red-detuned and blue-detuned magic-wavelength optical lattices. A difference between ac Stark shifts in traveling and standing waves is determined numerically. Differences between magic wavelengths for atoms in traveling and standing waves are presented and strategies for minimizing uncertainties of the clock frequency are indicated explicitly. Significant suppression of hyperpolarizability effect is demonstrated analytically for a blue-detuned in comparison with a red-detuned lattice, thus enabling essential deepening of trap potentials, reducing tunneling between lattice wells and collision effects.

Figure 1

An illustration of optical transitions between vibrational levels for atoms confined to an optical lattice.