Atomic properties of ${\mathrm{Lu}}^{+}$

Singly ionized lutetium has recently been suggested as a potential clock candidate. Here we report a joint experimental and theoretical investigation of ${\mathrm{Lu}}^{+}$. Measurements relevant to practical clock operation are made and compared to atomic structure calculations. Calculations of scalar and tensor polarizabilities for clock states over a range of wavelengths are also given. These results will be useful for future work with this clock candidate.

Figure 1

${\mathrm{Lu}}^{+}$ level structure showing (a) the 848-nm clock and 646-nm detection transitions and (b) the repumping lasers used to optically pump into and out of the ${}^3{D}_1$ level.

Figure 2

Histogram of dark times associated with the ${}^1{D}_2$ decay. We have omitted all times less than 200 ms or greater than 1 s with 200 ms subtracted of the remaining times.

Figure 3

Histogram of dark times associated with the ${}^3{D}_2$ decay.

Figure 4

Histogram of bright times when fluorescing on the ${}^3{D}_1$-to-${}^3{P}_0^{\mathrm{o}}$ transition.

Figure 5

Differential scalar polarizabilities $\alpha \left({}^3{D}_1\right)-\alpha \left({}^1{S}_0\right)$ and $\alpha \left({}^3{D}_2\right)-\alpha \left({}^1{S}_0\right)$ represented by red solid and blue dashed lines, respectively, vs the wavelength $\lambda$. The vertical dotted lines correspond to $\lambda =1064$ and 1560 nm.