Experimental Investigation of the 6s2 1S0! 6s5d 3D1 Magnetic Dipole Transition in Atomic Ytterbium

We present the results of an ongoing investigation designed to measure the for-bidden magnetic dipole transition amplitude for the 6s2 1S0! 6s5d 3D1 transition (408 nm) in atomic ytterbium. The transition is excited in an eusive atiomic beam with a C.W. laser in the presence of crossed D.C. electric and magnetic elds. The elds are ar-ranged to provide interference between the magnetic dipole transition and a Stark-induced transition caused by the electric eld. This interference term is separated from the larger Stark-induced transition by switching the direction of the electric eld. The transition is observed through fluorescence in the 6s6p 3P1! 6s2 1S0 decay channel at 556 nm. Prelim-inary measurements allow us to place an upper limit on the 6s2 1S0! 6s5d 3D1 magnetic dipole amplitude of M1 < 3 10−3 B. Acknowledgments I would like to thank Professor Dmitry Budker and Dr. Chris Bowers for all of their patience, advice, and assistance during the past two years and Professor Struart Freedman for all of his support