Laser Spectroscopy on Forbidden Transitions in Trapped Highly Charged Ar13+ Ions
Abstract
We demonstrate resonant fluorescence laser spectroscopy in highly charged ions (HCI) stored in an electron beam ion trap by investigating the dipole-forbidden 1s22s22p P3/22-P1/22 transition in boronlike Ar13+ ions. Forced evaporative cooling yielded a high resolving power, resulting in an accurate wavelength determination to λ=441.25568(26)nm. By applying stronger cooling and two-photon excitation, new optical frequency standards based upon ultrastable transitions in such HCI could be realized in the future, e.g., for the search of time variations of the fine-structure constant.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- September 2011
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 2011PhRvL.107n3002M
- Keywords:
-
- 32.10.Fn;
- 32.30.Jc;
- 32.60.+i;
- 95.30.Dr;
- Fine and hyperfine structure;
- Visible and ultraviolet spectra;
- Zeeman and Stark effects;
- Atomic processes and interactions