Rydberg spin-squeezing for a strontium optical lattice clock

Abstract

We present a new technique for achieving high levels of squeezing in strontium optical lattice clocks using the long-range van der Waals interactions between high-lying Rydberg states. This technique requires only one additional laser and could provide over 10 dB of squeezing in large atomic ensembles, in just a few microseconds, without significantly affecting the subsequent clock interrogation. We outline this spin-squeezing technique and report on our experimental progress towards demonstrating this method. Significant experimental milestones include development of a versatile UV laser system for demonstrating this technique, and the first observation of the Rydberg blockade effect in a divalent atom.