Laser spectroscopy and cooling of Yb+ ions on a deep-UV transition

TL;DR

This paper reports on laser spectroscopy and cooling of Yb+ ions using a deep-UV transition at 297 nm, providing precise frequency measurements and demonstrating effective laser cooling and photoionization techniques.

Contribution

It presents the first detailed spectroscopy and cooling of Yb+ ions on a deep-UV transition, including frequency measurements and application in photoionization.

Findings

Frequency measurements for multiple Yb isotopes reveal mass and field shifts.

Successful laser cooling of Yb+ ions on the 297 nm transition.

Light at 297 nm can serve as a second step in Yb atom photoionization.

Abstract

We perform laser spectroscopy of Yb+ ions on the 4f14 6s 2S_{1/2} - 4f13 5d 6s 3D[3/2]_{1/2} transition at 297 nm. The frequency measurements for 170Yb+, 172Yb+, 174Yb+, and 176Yb+ reveal the specific mass shift as well as the field shifts. In addition, we demonstrate laser cooling of Yb+ ions using this transition and show that light at 297 nm can be used as the second step in the photoionization of neutral Yb atoms.