Towards Quantum-Logic Spectroscopy of Highly Charged Ions for Tests of Fundamental Physics

Optical clocks based on highly charged ions (HCIs) offer a number of promising avenues for the study of physics beyond the standard model. Among these are searches for time variation of the fine structure constant, 𝛼̇/𝛼, and tests of quantum electrodynamics (QED). Due to level crossings occurring at high charge states, narrow linewidth, optically accessible transitions with a high sensitivity to 𝛼̇/𝛼 are predicted in both Pr¹⁰⁺ and Nd¹⁰⁺. We introduce a system capable of measuring these transitions consisting of table-top, permanent magnet Electron Beam Ion Trap (EBIT) connected via a beamline to a cryogenic Paul trap where HCI spectroscopy will be done. The EBIT, capable of both gas injection and laser ablation loading, has demonstrated pulsed production of several ions of interest including Pr¹⁰⁺, Nd¹⁰⁺, Ar¹³⁺, and Fe¹³⁺. We present our efforts towards cotrapping these HCIs with Be⁺ for cooling and quantum-logic spectroscopy (QLS).