A New Clock Transition with the Highest Sensitivity to $\alpha$ Variation and Simultaneous Magic Trapping Conditions with Other Clock Transitions in Yb

TL;DR

This paper identifies a new Yb clock transition with the highest sensitivity to variations in the fine structure constant and proposes a scheme for simultaneous magic trapping of multiple transitions, enhancing precision tests of fundamental physics.

Contribution

It introduces a novel Yb clock transition with the largest sensitivity coefficient to $eta$ variation and demonstrates a method for simultaneous magic trapping of multiple transitions.

Findings

New Yb transition with $K$ value of about -25(2)

Scheme for simultaneous magic trapping conditions

Potential for highly sensitive tests of $eta$ variation

Abstract

Optical lattice clocks are the prospective devices that can probe many subtle physics including temporal variation of the fine structure constant ($\alpha_e$). These studies necessitate high-precision measurements of atomic clock frequency ratios to unprecedented accuracy. In contrast to the earlier claimed highest sensitive coefficient ($K$) clock transition to $\alpha_e$ in Yb [Phys. Rev. Lett. $\textbf{120}$, 173001 (2018)], we found the $4f^{14}6s6p\,(^3P_2) - 4f^{13}5d6s^{2}\,(^3P_2^*)$ transition of this atom can serve as the clock transition with the largest $K$ value (about $-$25(2)). Moreover, we demonstrate a scheme to attain simultaneous magic trapping conditions for this clock transition with the other two proposed clock transitions $4f^{14}6s^2\,(^1S_0) - 4f^{14}6s6p\,(^3P_2)$ and $4f^{14}6s^2\,(^1S_0) - 4f^{13}5d6s^{2}\,(^3P_2^*)$; also exhibiting large $K$ values. This magic condition can be realized by subjecting Yb atoms to a bias magnetic field at a particular polarization angle along the quantization axis in an experimental set up. Upon realization, it will serve as the most potential optical lattice clock to probe $\alpha_e$ variation.