Optical Ramsey spectroscopy and coherence measurements of the clock transition in a single trapped Sr ion

We report on the observation of coherent excitation and spectroscopy performed using Ramseyʹs method of separated excitation fields on a single trapped and laser cooled ion of strontium. Single pulse Rabi excitation studies of the ion have shown linewidths approaching the transform limited value. Studies of transition rate versus pulse duration have shown a quadratic initial increase in transition rate with a duration consistent with coherent excitation and a rapid loss of Rabi oscillations, consistent with the concept of a dephasing of the thermally populated trap oscillator states as the excitation evolves. When two-pulse Ramsey excitation is applied to the single ion, fringe widths down to a linewidth of 840 Hz (FWHM) were observed with measured fringe contrasts consistent with a probe laser linewidth of 500 Hz.