Talk detail

MG14 - Talk detail

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 Participant

King, Steven

Institution

National Physical Laboratory  - Hampton Road - Teddington - Middlesex - United Kingdom

Session

PT4

Accepted

Yes

Order

6

Time

16:50 20'

Talk

Oral abstract

Title

Search For Time-Variation Of Fundamental Constants Using A 171Yb+ Optical Clock
Coauthors Godun, Rachel M.; Nisbet-Jones, Peter B. R.; Jones, Jonathan M.; Baynham, Charles F. A.; Johnson, Luke A. M.; Margolis, Helen S.; Szymaniec, Krzysztof; Lea, Stephen N.; Bongs, Kai; Gill, Patrick

Abstract

Optical atomic clocks have improved rapidly over the last decade, and many are now operating with total fractional systematic uncertainties in the parts in 10^18 range. At this level of performance, these clocks become sensitive tools for measuring any present-day changes in fundamental constants. At the National Physical Laboratory in the UK, we have developed an optical frequency standard based on a single ion of ytterbium-171. In addition to its excellent potential to be a future primary frequency standard, the highly forbidden 4f14 6s (2S1/2) – 4f13 6s2 (2F7/2) electric octupole clock transition has the highest sensitivity to any change in the fine structure constant of any optical clock operating today. We have combined our most recent data with a worldwide history of measurements of other high accuracy frequency standards and placed new limits on present-day changes in the fine structure constant and the electron-proton mass ratio.

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