Understanding the Spectroscopy of Barium Cations in Solid Xenon Matrices

Development of techniques capable of resolving the laser induced fluorescence of a single ion trapped in a solid noble gas matrix is a potentially useful technique for the development of quantum sensors. Towards this goal, previous work by our group has shown that the fluorescence from a single Barium atom trapped in a solid Xenon matrix can be resolved despite the competition of the naturally low signal against nearby fluorescence. A major hurdle towards this goal is “photobleaching” wherein the fluorescence released by the trapped species decreases with continued laser exposure. In preparation for a single Barium cation imaging experiment, the photobleaching behavior of the Barium cation in solid Xenon was surveyed. A theoretic explanation of the photobleaching process is being worked towards as well. The first step lies in describing the excitation and emission process. Simulated excitation spectra will be shared for the lattice relaxation as well as coupling of the electronic wavefunction of the transitioning Barium cation to the vibrations of the lattice.