Ultraviolet laser spectroscopy of neutral mercury in a one-dimensional optical lattice

Abstract

We present details on the ultraviolet lattice spectroscopy of the (6$s$${}^{2}$) ${}^{1}$$S$${}_{0}\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}$ (6$s$6$p$) ${}^{3}$$P$${}_{0}$ transition in neutral mercury, specifically ${}^{199}$Hg. Mercury atoms are loaded into a one-dimensional vertically aligned optical lattice from a magneto-optical trap with an rms temperature of $\ensuremath{\sim}$60 $\ensuremath{\mu}$K. We describe aspects of the magneto-optical trapping, the lattice cavity design, and the techniques employed to trap and detect mercury in an optical lattice. The clock-line frequency dependence on lattice depth is measured at a range of lattice wavelengths. We confirm the magic wavelength to be 362.51(0.16) nm. Further observations to those reported by Yi et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 073005 (2011)] are presented regarding the laser excitation of a Wannier-Stark ladder of states.