Measuring the Sr$^+$ 5s$_{1/2}$ Landé $g$-factor Using Singlet-Triplet Oscillations in a Circular Rydberg State of Strontium

Abstract

Circular states of strontium are promising platforms for quantum technologies. They exhibit much longer lifetimes than laser-accessible Rydberg states and possess an optically active ionic core that can be manipulated with laser light. Here we trap circular states in optical tweezers by exploiting the dynamical polarizability of the ionic core. We measure the decay of the orbital component of a n=51 circular state and observe singlet-triplet spin oscillations arising from the interplay of vector light shifts induced by the optical tweezers, spin-orbit coupling associated with the Rydberg electron, and the difference in Landé $g$-factor between the ionic core and the Rydberg electrons. By observing the two electron spin dynamics, we measure the spin-orbit interaction and the correction $δg \sim$ 10^(-5) of the Landé $g$-factor of the Sr$^+$ 5s$_{1/2}$ ionic core electron with respect to that of a free electron. This provides a first high-precision measurement of $g_{\textrm{Sr}^+, 5s_{1/2}}$ = 2.002290(1).