Measurements of electric quadrupole transition frequencies in $^{226}$Ra$^{+}$

TL;DR

This paper reports the first measurements of electric quadrupole transition frequencies in radium ion ($^{226}$Ra$^{+}$), providing essential data for quantum control and precision spectroscopy.

Contribution

It presents the first experimental driving and frequency measurements of specific E2 transitions in $^{226}$Ra$^{+}$, advancing atomic physics research with radium ions.

Findings

First measurements of $7s ightarrow 6d$ E2 transitions in Ra$^{+}$

Precise frequencies of low-lying transitions in $^{226}$Ra$^{+}$

Data useful for controlling ion's motional and internal states

Abstract

We report the first driving of the $7s\ ^2S_{1/2}\rightarrow 6d\ ^2D_{3/2}$ and $7s\ ^2S_{1/2}\rightarrow 6d\ ^2D_{5/2}$ electric quadrupole (E2) transitions in Ra$^{+}$. We measure the frequencies of both E2 transitions, and two other low-lying transitions in $^{226}$Ra$^{+}$ that are important for controlling the radium ion's motional and internal states: $6d\ ^2D_{3/2}\rightarrow 7p\ ^2P_{3/2}^{0}$ and $6d\ ^2D_{5/2}\rightarrow 7p\ ^2P_{3/2}^{0}$.