Related papers: Laboratory Limits on Temporal Variations of Fundam…
Transition frequencies between low-lying energy levels in a single trapped $^{138}$Ba$^{+}$ ion have been measured with laser spectroscopy referenced to an optical frequency comb. By extracting the frequencies of one-photon and two-photon…
Precision spectroscopy of atoms and molecules allows one to search for and to put stringent limits on the variation of fundamental constants. These experiments are typically interpreted in terms of variations of the fine structure constant…
We present numerical calculations for cesium and mercury to estimate the sensitivity of the scattering length to the variation of the fine structure constant alpha. The method used follows ideas Chin and Flambaum [Phys. Rev. Lett. 96,…
Motivated by recent astrophysical observations of quasar absorption systems, we formulate a simple theory where the electron to proton mass ratio $\mu =m_{e}/m_{p}$ is allowed to vary in space-time. In such a minimal theory only the…
The CH radical offers a sensitive way to test the hypothesis that fundamental constants measured on earth may differ from those observed in other parts of the universe. The starting point for such a comparison is to have accurate laboratory…
Improvements of the systematic uncertainty, frequency instability, and long-term reliability of the two caesium fountain primary frequency standards CSF1 and CSF2 at PTB (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt) are described. We have further…
The passage of time is tracked by counting oscillations of a frequency reference, such as Earth's revolutions or swings of a pendulum. By referencing atomic transitions, frequency (and thus time) can be measured more precisely than any…
Understanding physical mechanisms relies on the accurate determination of fundamental constants, although inherent limitations in experimental techniques introduce uncertainties into these measurements. This paper explores the uncertainties…
Optical atomic clocks have been rapidly developing in recent decades, resulting in major improvements in both precision and accuracy. As a result, they have become instrumental in multiple areas of applied and fundamental research. Despite…
With the development of microwave atomic clocks, the Zeeman shifts for the spectral lines of black-body radiation need to be investigated carefully. In this Letter, the frequency shifts of hyperfine splittings of atomic ground states due to…
We demonstrate that several metastable excited states in Hf$~$II, Hf$~$IV and W$~$VI ions may be good clock states since they are sufficiently long-living and are not sensitive to the perturbations. Cooling E1 transitions are available.…
With direct polarizability measurements we demonstrated extremely low sensitivity of the inner-shell clock transition at $1.14\,\mu$m in Tm atoms to external dc electric fields and black-body radiation (BBR). We measured differential…
We demonstrate a technique for frequency measurements of UV transitions with sub-MHz precision. The frequency is measured using a ring-cavity resonator whose length is calibrated against a reference laser locked to the $D_2$ line of…
Atom interferometry on optical clock transitions is being pursued for numerous long-baseline experiments both terrestrially and for future space missions. Crucial to meeting these experiments' required sensitivities is the implementation of…
We report on progress towards a measurement of the fine structure constant to an accuracy of $5\times 10^{-10}$ or better by measuring the ratio of the Planck constant to the mass of the cesium atom. Compared to similar experiments, ours is…
We analyse the constraints obtained from new atomic clock data on the possible time variation of the fine structure `constant' and the electron-proton mass ratio and show how they are strengthened when the seasonal variation of Sun's…
We report the first experimental determination of the hyperfine quenching rate of the $6s^2\ ^1\!S_0\ (F=1/2) - 6s6p\ ^3\!P_0\ (F=1/2)$ transition in $^{171}$Yb with nuclear spin $I=1/2$. This rate determines the natural linewidth and the…
Quantum state-resolved spectroscopy of the low energy thorium-229 nuclear transition was recently achieved. The five allowed transitions within the electric quadrupole structure were measured to the kilohertz level in a calcium fluoride…
Attempts are made to unify gravity with the other three fundamental forces of nature. As suggested by higher dimensional models, this unification may require space and time variation of some dimensionless fundamental constants. In this…
We report on a frequency ratio measurement of a ${}^{199}$Hg-based optical lattice clock referencing a ${}^{87}$Sr-based clock. Evaluations of lattice light shift, including atomic-motion-dependent shift, enable us to achieve a total…