Abstract
We demonstrate the cancellation of the differential ac Stark shift of the microwave hyperfine clock transition in trapped atoms. Recent progress in metrology exploits so-called magic wavelengths, whereby an atomic ensemble can be trapped with laser light whose wavelength is chosen so that both levels of an optical atomic transition experience identical ac Stark shifts. Similar magic-wavelength techniques are not possible for the microwave hyperfine transitions in the alkali metals due to their simple electronic structure. We show, however, that ac Stark shift cancellation is indeed achievable for certain values of wavelength, polarization, and magnetic field. The cancellation comes at the expense of a small magnetic-field sensitivity. The technique demonstrated here has implications for experiments involving the precise control of optically trapped neutral atoms.
- Received 8 December 2009
- Corrected 13 April 2010
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.81.031611
©2010 American Physical Society
Corrections
13 April 2010
Erratum
Publisher’s Note: Experimental observation of magic-wavelength behavior of atoms in an optical lattice [Phys. Rev. A 81, 031611 (2010)]
N. Lundblad, M. Schlosser, and J. V. Porto
Phys. Rev. A 81, 049904 (2010)
Synopsis
Something magic in the alkalis
Published 29 March 2010
Rubidium atoms trapped in optical lattices are shown to exhibit a magic-wavelength behavior.
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