Development of a technique for the precise determination of atomic lifetimes based on photon echoes
Abstract
We explore the sensitivity of the photon echo technique for achieving precise measurements of atomic lifetimes. Using short-pulse excitation of atomic rubidium vapor, we report the most statistically precise measurement of (26.11 ±0.03 ) ns for the 5 2P3/2 lifetime. This statistical uncertainty of 0.11% was achieved in a total data acquisition time of 4 h over several weeks and rivals the most precise measurements in this atomic system. The experiment primarily relies on heterodyne detection and exploits the signal-to-noise ratio of the coherent release of energy along the direction of excitation, which is an exponential decay as a function of pulse separation T , as well as large repetition rates that are feasible in a gently heated vapor cell. We have developed an understanding of the technical limitations responsible for lifetime measurement instabilities on the basis of a simple model, which also enables us to propose a feedback scheme to limit these effects. Studies of the fractional uncertainty of the lifetime suggest that the statistical precision of this technique can be extended to the level of 0.03% in 10 min of data acquisition if the technical limitations are addressed. This level of precision has so far been exceeded by only one other lifetime measurement. Under these conditions, a rigorous investigation of systematic effects could potentially allow the echo technique to achieve the most accurate measurement of atomic lifetimes.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review A
- Pub Date:
- March 2020
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevA.101.033408
- Bibcode:
- 2020PhRvA.101c3408B