2022/05/31 by David R. Leibrandt, S. G. Porsev, Leibrandt, David R. +5 · 2 citations
Decision Sciences · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Frequency and Time Standards #Atomic Physics (physics.atom-ph) #Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates #FOS: Physical sciences #Scientific Measurement and Uncertainty Evaluation
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2205.15484
openalex publication_date 2022/05/31 · openalex created_date 2022/06/13 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We propose a many-ion optical atomic clock based on three-dimensional Coulomb crystals of order one thousand Sn2+ ions confined in a linear RF Paul trap. Sn2+ has a unique combination of features that is not available in previously considered ions: a 1S0 ↔ 3P0 clock transition between two states with zero electronic and nuclear angular momentum (I = J = F = 0) making it immune to nonscalar perturbations, a negative differential polarizability making it possible to operate the trap in a manner such that the two dominant shifts for three-dimensional ion crystals cancel each other, and a laser-accessible transition suitable for direct laser cooling and state readout. We present calculations of the differential polarizability, other relevant atomic properties, and the motion of ions in large Coulomb crystals, in order to estimate the achievable accuracy and precision of Sn2+ Coulomb-crystal clocks.