Towards a measurement of the nuclear magnetic octupole moment of barium-137

Abstract

A description of a 2051 nm laser system designed and built for use in a number of proposed experiments is presented. Results of spectroscopic measurements of the 6S1/2 to 5D3/2 transition in 138Ba+ are discussed. The laser is shown to produce coherent excitation of the atomic transition. The observed 2 ms laser-ion coherence times demonstrate the laser linewidth to be no more than 500 Hz. The proposed measurement of the nuclear magnetic octupole measurement of 137Ba is reviewed. The prospects for developing this laser system into a barium ion optical frequency standard are discussed.