Hyperpolarizability Effects in a Sr Optical Lattice Clock

Abstract

We report the observation of a higher-order frequency shift due to the trapping field in a (87)Sr optical lattice clock. We show that, at the magic wavelength of the lattice, where the first-order term cancels, the higher-order shift will not constitute a limitation to the fractional accuracy of the clock at a level of 10(-18). This result is achieved by operating the clock at very high trapping intensity up to 400 kW/cm(2) and by a specific study of the effect of the two two-photon transitions near the magic wavelength.