Frequency ratio of Al+ and Hg+ single-ion optical clocks; metrology at the 17th decimal place.

Time has always had a special status in physics because of its fundamental role in specifying the regularities of nature and because of the extraordinary precision with which it can be measured. This precision enables tests of fundamental physics and cosmology, as well as practical applications such as satellite navigation. Recently, a regime of operation for atomic clocks based on optical transitions has become possible, promising even higher performance. We report the frequency ratio of two optical atomic clocks with a fractional uncertainty of 5.2 x 10(-17). The ratio of aluminum and mercury single-ion optical clock frequencies nuAl+/nuHg+ is 1.052871833148990438(55), where the uncertainty comprises a statistical measurement uncertainty of 4.3 x 10(-17), and systematic uncertainties of 1.9 x 10(-17) and 2.3 x 10(-17) in the mercury and aluminum frequency standards, respectively. Repeated measurements during the past year yield a preliminary constraint on the temporal variation of the fine-structure constant alpha of alpha/alpha = (-1.6+/-2.3) x 10(-17)/year.

Laser sources for precision spectroscopy on atomic strontium.

We present a new laser setup designed for high-precision spectroscopy on laser cooled atomic strontium. The system, which is entirely based on semiconductor laser sources, delivers 200 mW at 461 nm for cooling and trapping atomic strontium from a thermal source, 4 mW at 497 nm for optical pumping from the metastable P23 state, 12 mW at 689 nm on linewidth less than 1 kHz for second-stage cooling of the atomic sample down to the recoil limit, 1.2 W at 922 nm for optical trapping close to the "magic wavelength" for the 0-1 intercombination line at 689 nm. The 689 nm laser was already employed to perform a frequency measurement of the 0-1 intercombination line with a relative accuracy of 2.3 x 10(-11), and the ensemble of laser sources allowed the loading in a conservative dipole trap of multi-isotopes strontium mixtures. The simple and compact setup developed represents one of the first steps towards the realization of a transportable optical standards referenced to atomic strontium.

Testing the stability of fundamental constants with the 199Hg+ single-ion optical clock.

Over a two-year duration, we have compared the frequency of the 199Hg+ 5d(10)6s (2)S(1/2)(F=0)<-->5d(9)6s(2) (2)D(5/2)(F=2) electric-quadrupole transition at 282 nm with the frequency of the ground-state hyperfine splitting in neutral 133Cs. These measurements show that any fractional time variation of the ratio nu(Cs)/nu(Hg) between the two frequencies is smaller than +/-7 x 10(-15) yr(-1) (1sigma uncertainty). According to recent atomic structure calculations, this sets an upper limit to a possible fractional time variation of g(Cs)(m(e)/m(p))alpha(6.0) at the same level.

An optical clock based on a single trapped 199Hg+ ion.

Microwave atomic clocks have been the de facto standards for precision time and frequency metrology over the past 50 years, finding widespread use in basic scientific studies, communications, and navigation. However, with its higher operating frequency, an atomic clock based on an optical transition can be much more stable. We demonstrate an all-optical atomic clock referenced to the 1.064-petahertz transition of a single trapped 199Hg+ ion. A clockwork based on a mode-locked femtosecond laser provides output pulses at a 1-gigahertz rate that are phase-coherently locked to the optical frequency. By comparison to a laser-cooled calcium optical standard, an upper limit for the fractional frequency instability of 7 x 10(-15) is measured in 1 second of averaging-a value substantially better than that of the world's best microwave atomic clocks.

Absolute frequency measurements of the Hg+ and Ca optical clock transitions with a femtosecond laser.

The frequency comb created by a femtosecond mode-locked laser and a microstructured fiber is used to phase coherently measure the frequencies of both the Hg+ and Ca optical standards with respect to the SI second. We find the transition frequencies to be f(Hg) = 1 064 721 609 899 143(10) Hz and f(Ca) = 455 986 240 494 158(26) Hz, respectively. In addition to the unprecedented precision demonstrated here, this work is the precursor to all-optical atomic clocks based on the Hg+ and Ca standards. Furthermore, when combined with previous measurements, we find no time variations of these atomic frequencies within the uncertainties of the absolute value of( partial differential f(Ca)/ partial differential t)/f(Ca) < or =8 x 10(-14) yr(-1) and the absolute value of(partial differential f(Hg)/ partial differential t)/f(Hg) < or =30 x 10(-14) yr(-1).

Primary Atomic Frequency Standards at NIST.

The development of atomic frequency standards at NIST is discussed and three of the key frequency-standard technologies of the current era are described. For each of these technologies, the most recent NIST implementation of the particular type of standard is described in greater detail. The best relative standard uncertainty achieved to date for a NIST frequency standard is 1.5×10(-15). The uncertainties of the most recent NIST standards are displayed relative to the uncertainties of atomic frequency standards of several other countries.

Direct frequency measurements of transitions at 520 THz (576 nm) in iodine and 260 THz (1.15 microm) in neon.

The o hyperfine component of the (127)I(2) 17-1 P(62) transition at 520 THz (576 nm) in iodine was measured with respect to the CH(4)-stabilized 88-THz He-Ne laser. A 26-THz CO(2) laser, a color-center laser at 130 THz, and a He-Ne laser at 260 THz were used as transfer oscillators. The measured I(2) frequency was 520 206 808.547 MHz with a total fractional uncertainty of 1.6 x 10(-10). The 1.15-microm (20)Ne Lamb-dip-stabilized laser frequency was 260 103 249.26 MHz with a total fractional uncertainty of 3.1 x 10(-10).

Direct frequency measurement of the I(2)-stabilized He-Ne 473-THz (633-nm) laser.

The absolute frequency of the 473-THz He-Ne laser (633 nm), stabilized on the g or i hyperfine component of the (127)I(2) 11-5 R(127) transition, was measured by comparing its frequency with a known frequency synthesized by summing the radiation from three lasers in a He-Ne plasma. The three lasers were (1) the 88-THz CH(4)-stabilized He-Ne laser (3.39 microm), (2) a 125-THz color-center laser (2.39 microm) with its frequency referenced to the R(II)(26) (13)C(18)O(2)laser, and (3) the 260-THz He-Ne laser (1.15 microm) referenced to an I(2)-stabilized dye laser at 520 THz (576 nm). The measured frequencies are 473 612 340.492 and 473 612 214.789 MHz for the g and i hyperfine components, respectively, with a total uncertainty of 1.6 parts in 10(10). The frequency of the i component adjusted to the operating conditions recommended by the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures is 473 612 214.830 +/- 0.074 MHz.

Double-resonance and optical-pumping experiments on electromagnetically confined, laser-cooled ions.

Experiments illustrating advantages and unique features of double-resonance and optical pumping on electromagnetically confined, laser-cooled ions are discussed. In certain cases, scattered light from the cooling transition can be used as a monitor in double-resonance experiments to give nearly 100% detection efficiency. Nonradiative relaxation rates are extremely small for stored ions, permitting nearly complete optical pumping, even in extremely weak pumping schemes.