We demonstrate programmable control over the spatial distribution of ultra-cold atoms confined in an optical lattice. The control is facilitated through a combination of spatial manipulation of the magneto-optical trap and atomic population shelving to a metastable state. We first employ the technique to load an extended (5 mm) atomic sample with uniform density in an optical lattice clock (OLC), reducing atomic interactions and realizing remarkable frequency homogeneity across the atomic cloud. We also prepare multiple spatially separated atomic ensembles, and realize multi-ensemble clock operation within the standard one-dimensional (1D) OLC architecture. Leveraging this technique, we prepare two oppositely spin-polarized ensembles that are independently addressable, offering a platform for implementing spectroscopic protocols for enhanced tracking of local oscillator phase. Finally, we demonstrate a relative fractional frequency instability at one second of 2.4(1)×10−17 between two ensembles, useful for characterization of intra-lattice differential systematics.

中文翻译：

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光学晶格钟中的棘轮加载和多系综操作


我们展示了对限制在光学晶格中的超冷原子的空间分布的可编程控制。通过磁光陷阱的空间操纵和原子群搁置到亚稳态的组合来促进控制。我们首先采用该技术在光学晶格钟（OLC）中加载具有均匀密度的扩展（5毫米）原子样品，减少原子相互作用并在原子云中实现显着的频率均匀性。我们还准备了多个空间分离的原子系综，并在标准一维（1D）OLC架构内实现多系综时钟操作。利用这项技术，我们准备了两个可独立寻址的相反自旋极化系综，为实现光谱协议以增强对本地振荡器相位的跟踪提供了一个平台。最后，我们证明了两个系综之间一秒的相对分数频率不稳定性为 2.4(1)×10−17，这对于表征晶格内微分系统学很有用。