Mainz 2026 – scientific programme

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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 38: Precision Spectroscopy of Atoms and Ions III (joint session A/Q)

Q 38.4: Talk

Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 15:30–15:45, N 3

Resolving the recoil splitting in Doppler-free spectroscopy of calcium in a heat pipe — •Andreas Reuss and Simon Stellmer — Universität Bonn, Germany

Calcium, as an alkaline-earth metal, is of significant interest to both the atomic and nuclear physics communities. The narrow intercombination line at 657 nm is of particular interest and can be probed in a simple vapor cell using Doppler-free saturated absorption spectroscopy to generate a narrow and stable reference signal. However, recoil effects lead to a splitting of the absorption line, introducing a variable asymmetry in the lineshape that degrades the stability of this reference. In this work, we reduce all broadening mechanisms to a level that allows us to resolve the recoil splitting. We lock a laser to one of the recoil components and quantify the frequency stability.

Keywords: Calcium; recoil effect; laser reference