arXiv subjects

D. Budker

Publications and source records attributed to D. Budker.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

arXiv2007

Spin-exchange relaxation free magnetometry with Cs vapor

We describe a Cs atomic magnetometer operating in the spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) regime. With a vapor cell temperature of $103^\circ\rm{C}$ we achieve intrinsic magnetic resonance widths $ΔB=17 {\rm μG}$ corresponding to an electron spin-relaxation rate of $300 {\rm s^{-1}}$ when the spin-exchange rate is $Γ_{SE}=14000 {\rm s^{-1}}$. We also observe an interesting narrowing effect due to diffusion. Signal-to-noise measurements yield a sensitivity of about $400\thinspace{\rm pG/\sqrt{Hz}}$. Based on photon shot noise, we project a sensitivity of $40 {\rm pG/\sqrt{Hz}}$. A theoretical optimization of the magnetometer indicates sensitivities on the order of $2 {\rm pG/\sqrt{Hz}}$ should be achievable in a $1 {\rm cm^3}$ volume. Because Cs has a higher saturated vapor pressure than other alkali metals, SERF magnetometers using Cs atoms are particularly attractive in applications requiring lower temperatures.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2007

Investigation of the Gravitational Potential Dependence of the Fine-Structure Constant Using Atomic Dysprosium

Radio-frequency E1 transitions between nearly degenerate, opposite parity levels of atomic dysprosium were monitored over an eight month period to search for a variation in the fine-structure constant. During this time period, data were taken at different points in the gravitational potential of the Sun. The data are fitted to the variation in the gravitational potential yielding a value of $(-8.7 \pm 6.6) \times 10^{-6}$ for the fit parameter $k_α$. This value gives the current best laboratory limit. In addition, our value of $k_α$ combined with other experimental constraints is used to extract the first limits on k_e and k_q. These coefficients characterize the variation of m_e/m_p and m_q/m_p in a changing gravitational potential, where m_e, m_p, and m_q are electron, proton, and quark masses. The results are $k_e = (4.9 \pm 3.9) \times 10^{-5}$ and $k_q = (6.6 \pm 5.2) \times 10^{-5}$.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2006

Rubidium "whiskers" in a vapor cell

Crystals of metallic rubidium are observed ``growing'' from paraffin coating of buffer-gas-free glass vapor cells. The crystals have uniform square cross-section, $\approx 30 μ$m on the side, and reach several mm in length.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2006

Optical Magnetometry

Some of the most sensitive methods of measuring magnetic fields utilize interactions of resonant light with atomic vapor. Recent developments in this vibrant field are improving magnetometers in many traditional areas such as measurement of geomagnetic anomalies and magnetic fields in space, and are opening the door to new ones, including, dynamical measurements of bio-magnetic fields, detection of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI), inertial-rotation sensing, magnetic microscopy with cold atoms, and tests of fundamental symmetries of Nature.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2006

Limit on the Temporal Variation of the Fine-Structure Constant Using Atomic Dysprosium

Over a period of eight months, we have monitored transition frequencies between nearly degenerate, opposite-parity levels in two isotopes of atomic dysprosium (Dy). These transition frequencies are highly sensitive to temporal variation of the fine-structure constant ($α$) due to relativistic corrections of large and opposite sign for the opposite-parity levels. In this unique system, in contrast to atomic-clock comparisons, the difference of the electronic energies of the opposite-parity levels can be monitored directly utilizing a radio-frequency (rf) electric-dipole transition between them. Our measurements show that the frequency variation of the 3.1-MHz transition in $^{163}$Dy and the 235-MHz transition in $^{162}$Dy are 9.0$\pm$6.7 Hz/yr and -0.6$\pm$6.5 Hz/yr, respectively. These results provide a value for the rate of fractional variation of $α$ of $(-2.7\pm2.6)\times 10^{-15}$ yr$^{-1}$ (1 $σ$) without any assumptions on the constancy of other fundamental constants, indicating absence of significant variation at the present level of sensitivity.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2006

Influence of magnetic-field inhomogeneity on nonlinear magneto-optical resonances

In this work, a sensitivity of the rate of relaxation of ground-state atomic coherences to magnetic-field inhomogeneities is studied. Such coherences give rise to many interesting phenomena in light-atom interactions, and their lifetimes are a limiting factor for achieving better sensitivity, resolution or contrast in many applications. For atoms contained in a vapor cell, some of the coherence-relaxation mechanisms are related to magnetic-field inhomogeneities. We present a simple model describing relaxation due to such inhomogeneities in a buffer-gas-free anti-relaxation coated cell. A relation is given between relaxation rate and magnetic-field inhomogeneities including the dependence on cell size and atomic spices. Experimental results, which confirm predictions of the model, are presented. Different regimes, in which the relaxation rate is equally sensitive to the gradients in any direction and in which it is insensitive to gradients transverse to the bias magnetic field, are predicted and demonstrated experimentally.

physics.class-ph↗

arXiv2006

Application of atomic magnetometry in magnetic particle detection

We demonstrate the detection of magnetic particles carried by water in a continuous flow using an atomic magnetic gradiometer. Studies on three types of magnetic particles are presented: a single cobalt particle (diameter ~150 um, multi-domain), a suspension of superparamagnetic magnetite particles (diameter \~1 um), and ferromagnetic cobalt nanoparticles (diameter ~10 nm, 120 kA/m magnetization). Estimated detection limits are 20 um diameter for a single cobalt particle at a water flow rate 30 ml/min, 5x10^3 magnetite particles at 160 ml/min, and 50 pl for the specific ferromagnetic fluid at 130 ml/min. Possible applications of our method are discussed.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2006

Detection of radio frequency magnetic fields using nonlinear magneto-optical rotation

We describe a room-temperature alkali-metal atomic magnetometer for detection of small, high frequency magnetic fields. The magnetometer operates by detecting optical rotation due to the precession of an aligned ground state in the presence of a small oscillating magnetic field. The resonance frequency of the magnetometer can be adjusted to any desired value by tuning the bias magnetic field. We demonstrate a sensitivity of $100\thinspace{\rm pG/\sqrt{Hz}\thinspace(RMS)}$ in a 3.5 cm diameter, paraffin coated cell. Based on detection at the photon shot-noise limit, we project a sensitivity of $20\thinspace{\rm pG/\sqrt{Hz}\thinspace(RMS)}$.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2006

Robust, High-speed, All-Optical Atomic Magnetometer

A self-oscillating magnetometer based on the nonlinear magneto-optical rotation effect with separate modulated pump and unmodulated probe beams is demonstrated. This device possesses a bandwidth exceeding $1\khz$. Pump and probe are delivered by optical fiber, facilitating miniaturization and modularization. The magnetometer has been operated both with vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), which are well suited to portable applications, and with conventional edge-emitting diode lasers. A sensitivity of around $3 {\rm nG}$ is achieved for a measurement time of $1\s$.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2006

Towards measuring nuclear-spin-dependent and isotopic-chain atomic parity violation in Ytterbium

We discuss experiments aimed at measurements of atomic parity nonconservation (PNC) effects in the 1S0-3D1 transition (408 nm) in atomic Ytterbium (Z=70). According to theoretical predictions, the PNC-induced E1 amplitude of this transition is ~100 times larger than the analogous amplitude in Cs. Such an experiment will determine differences in PNC effects between different hyperfine components for odd-neutron-number Yb isotopes and, thereby, will allow measurements of the nuclear anapole moments in nuclei with unpaired neutrons. In addition, measurements of PNC in different isotopes would give information on neutron distributions within the nuclei. The apparatus designed and built for this experiment is described, and results of measurements towards understanding of systematic effects influencing the accuracy, and the current status of the ongoing PNC measurements are presented.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2006

Nonlinear magneto-optical rotation, Zeeman and hyperfine relaxation of potassium atoms in a paraffin-coated cell

Nonlinear magneto-optical Faraday rotation (NMOR) on the potassium D1 and D2 lines was used to study Zeeman relaxation rates in an antirelaxation paraffin-coated 3-cm diameter potassium vapor cell. Intrinsic Zeeman relaxation rates of $γ^{NMOR}/2π=2.0(6) {\rm Hz}$ were observed. The relatively small hyperfine intervals in potassium lead to significant differences in NMOR in potassium compared to rubidium and cesium. Using laser optical pumping, widths and frequency shifts were also determined for transitions between ground-state hyperfine sublevels of $^{39}$K atoms contained in the same paraffin-coated cell. The intrinsic hyperfine relaxation rate of $γ^{hf}_{expt}/2π= 10.6(7) $Hz and a shift of $-9.1(2) $Hz were observed. These results show that adiabatic relaxation gives only a small contribution to the overall hyperfine relaxation in the case of potassium, and the relaxation is dominated by other mechanisms similar to those observed in previous studies with rubidium.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2006

Nonlinear magneto-optical rotation with modulated light in tilted magnetic fields

Larmor precession of laser-polarized atoms contained in anti-relaxation-coated cells, detected via nonlinear magneto-optical rotation (NMOR) is a promising technique for a new generation of ultra-sensitive atomic magnetometers. For magnetic fields directed along the light propagation direction, resonances in NMOR appear when linearly polarized light is frequency- or amplitude-modulated at twice the Larmor frequency. Because the frequency of these resonances depends on the magnitude but not the direction of the field, they are useful for scalar magnetometry. New NMOR resonances at the Larmor frequency appear when the magnetic field is tilted away from the light propagation direction in the plane defined by the light propagation and polarization vectors. These new resonances, studied both experimentally and with a density matrix calculation in the present work, offer a convenient method for NMOR-based vector magnetometry.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2006

Polarization dependent photoionization cross-sections and radiative lifetimes of atomic states in Ba

The photoionization cross-sections of two even-parity excited states, $5d6d ^3D_1$ and $6s7d ^3D_{2}$, of atomic Ba at the ionization-laser wavelength of 556.6 nm were measured. We found that the total cross-section depends on the relative polarization of the atoms and the ionization-laser light. With density-matrix algebra, we show that, in general, there are at most three parameters in the photoionization cross-section. Some of these parameters are determined in this work. We also present the measurement of the radiative lifetime of five even-parity excited states of barium.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2006

Pump-probe nonlinear magneto-optical rotation with frequency modulated light

Specific types of atomic coherences between Zeeman sublevels can be generated and detected using a method based on nonlinear magneto-optical rotation with frequency modulated light. Linearly polarized, frequency modulated light is employed to selectively generate ground-state coherences between Zeeman sublevels for which $Δm=2$ and $Δm=4$ in $^{85}$Rb and $^{87}$Rb atoms, and additionally $Δm=6$ in $^{85}$Rb. The atomic coherences are detected with a separate, unmodulated probe light beam. Separation of the pump and probe beams enables independent investigation of the processes of creation and detection of the atomic coherences. With the present technique the transfer of the Zeeman coherences, including high-order coherences, from excited to ground state by spontaneous emission has been observed.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2006

Nonlinear magneto-optical rotation with frequency-modulated light in the geophysical field range

Recent work investigating resonant nonlinear magneto-optical rotation (NMOR) related to long-lived ($τ\ts{rel} \sim 1 {\rm s}$) ground-state atomic coherences has demonstrated potential magnetometric sensitivities exceeding $10^{-11} {\rm G/\sqrt{Hz}}$ for small ($\lesssim 1 {\rm μG}$) magnetic fields. In the present work, NMOR using frequency-modulated light (FM NMOR) is studied in the regime where the longitudinal magnetic field is in the geophysical range ($\sim 500 {\rm mG}$), of particular interest for many applications. In this regime a splitting of the FM NMOR resonance due to the nonlinear Zeeman effect is observed. At sufficiently high light intensities, there is also a splitting of the FM NMOR resonances due to ac Stark shifts induced by the optical field, as well as evidence of alignment-to-orientation conversion type processes. The consequences of these effects for FM-NMOR-based atomic magnetometry in the geophysical field range are considered.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2005

Dynamic Stark effect and forbidden-transition spectral lineshapes

We report on an experimental and theoretical study of the dynamic (ac) Stark effect on a forbidden transition. A general framework for parameterizing and describing off-resonant ac-Stark shifts is presented. A model is developed to calculate spectral line shapes resulting from resonant excitation of atoms in an intense standing light-wave in the presence of off-resonant ac-Stark shifts. The model is used in the analysis and interpretation of a measurement of the ac-Stark shifts of the static-electric-field-induced \mbox{${\rm 6s^2}~ ^1{\rm S}_0~\to ~{\rm 5d6s}~ ^3{\rm D}_1\:$} transition at 408 nm in atomic Yb. The results are in agreement with estimates of the ac-Stark shift of the transition under the assumption that the shift is dominated by that of the ${\rm 6s^2 \:} ^1{\rm S}_0\:$ ground state. A detailed description of the experiment and analysis is presented. A bi-product of this work is an independent determination (from the saturation behavior of the 408-nm transition) of the Stark transition polarizability, which is found to be in agreement with our earlier measurement. This work is part of the ongoing effort aimed at a precision measurement of atomic parity-violation effects in Yb.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2005

On the sensitivity of condensed-matter P- and T-violation experiments

Experiments searching for parity- and time-reversal-invariance-violating effects that rely on measuring magnetization of a condensed-matter sample induced by application of an electric field are considered. A limit on statistical sensitivity arises due to random fluctuations of the spins in the sample. The scaling of this limit with the number of spins and their relaxation time is derived. Application to an experiment searching for nuclear Schiff moment in a ferroelectric is discussed.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2005

Magnetometry with millimeter-scale anti-relaxation-coated alkali-metal vapor cells

Dynamic nonlinear magneto-optical-rotation signals with frequency- and amplitude-modulated laser light have been observed and investigated with a spherical glass cell of 3-mm diameter containing Cs metal with inner walls coated with paraffin. Intrinsic Zeeman relaxation rates of $γ/(2π)\approx 20 $Hz and lower have been observed. Favorable prospects of using millimeter-scale coated cells in portable magnetometers and secondary frequency references are discussed.

physics.atom-ph↗