Please join us for this week’s AMO/QI seminar with Dr. Andrew Ludlow from NIST Boulder. He will be presenting a talk titled: Towards the next-generation of optical lattice clocks

Abstract:
Over the last five years, optical clocks based on ultracold atoms confined in an optical lattice have realized a staggering 18 digits of precision and accuracy.  This has facilitated their application to searches for dark matter, tests of fundamental physics, and metrology supporting the re-definition of the SI second.  Further advances promise to open the door to gravitational studies, including beyond-state-of-the-art Earth-based geodesy, space-based tests of general relativity, and even clock-based observations of gravitational waves.  Here, I highlight a toolbox of quantum control techniques aimed at realizing the next-generation of optical lattice clocks with orders of magnitude higher performance.  This begins with novel laser cooling techniques using the ultra-narrow clock transition, capable of cooling alkaline-earth species deep into the nK regime and useful for trapping in very shallow optical lattices. Next, we demonstrate controlled tunneling in excited bands of a Wannier-Stark lattice in order to suppress collisional effects via coherent delocalization. A complementary technique, which we refer to as ‘ratchet loading’, allows us to programmably fill optical lattices up to cm-scale spatial distributions.  Finally, we demonstrate a moving cryogenic shield for strongly suppressing the blackbody radiation that shifts the clock transition frequency of lattice confined atoms.  To conclude, I also briefly summarize our efforts to deliver the precision of optical lattice clock systems in a transportable apparatus beyond the lab.