Publications - Theses

Measurement of the Hyperfine Quenching Rate of the Clock Transition in ¹⁷¹Yb
C.-Y. Xu, J. Singh, J. C. Zappala, K. G. Bailey, M. R. Dietrich, J. P. Greene, W. Jiang, N. D. Lemke, Z.-T. Lu, P. Mueller, T. P. O'Connor
Physical Review Letters 113, 033003 (2014), DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.033003

Efficient generation of optical sidebands at GHz with a high-power tapered amplifier
J. C. Zappala, K. Bailey, Z.-T. Lu, T. P. O’Connor, and W. Jiang
Review of Scientific Instruments, 85, 046104 (2014), DOI: 10.1063/1.4870412

Radiometric ⁸¹Kr dating identifies 120,000-year-old ice at Taylor Glacier, Antarctica
C. Buizert, D. Baggenstos, W. Jiang, R. Purtschert, V.V. Petrenko, Z.-T. Lu, P. Müller, T. Kuhl, J. Lee, J.P. Severinghaus, and E.J. Brook
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111, 6876 (2014) , DOI:10.1073/pnas.132032911
(See accompanying Commentary : Aeschbach-Hertig, W. ibid)

Tracer Applications of Noble Gas Radionuclides in the Geosciences
Z.-T. Lu, P. Schlosser, W.M. Smethie Jr., N.C. Sturchio, T.P. Fischer, B.M. Kennedy, R. Purtschert, J.P. Severinghaus, D.K. Solomon, T. Tanhua, R. Yokochi
Earth-Science Reviews, 138, 214 (2014) DOI:10.1016/j.earscirev.2013.09.002

Krypton-81 in Groundwater of the Culebra Dolomite Near the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, New Mexico
N.C. Sturchio, K.L. Kuhlman, R. Yokochi, P.C. Probst, W. Jiang, Z.-T. Lu, P. Mueller, G.-M. Yang
Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 160, 12 (2014) , DOI:10.1016/j.jconhyd.2014.02.002

Ion current as a precise measure of the loading rate of a magneto-optical trap
W. Jiang, K. Bailey, Z.-T. Lu, P. Mueller, T. P. O’Connor, and R. Purtschert
Optics Letters 39, 409 (2014) DOI:10.1364/OL.39.000409

Colloquium: Laser probing of neutron-rich nuclei in light atoms Abstract / PDF
Z.-T. Lu, P. Mueller, G. W. F. Drake, W. Nörtershäuser, Steven C. Pieper, and Z.-C. Yan
Rev. Mod. Phys. 85, 1383 (2013)

What trapped atoms reveal about global groundwater PDF
Zheng-Tian Lu
Physics Today 66 (3), 75 (2013) DOI:10.1063/PT.3.1926

Noble gas radionucleides in Yellowstone geothermal gas emissions: A reconnaissance
R. Yokochi, N.C. Sturchio, R. Purtschert, W. Jiang, Z.-T. Lu, P. Mueller, G.-M. Yang, f, B.M. Kennedy, Y. Kharaka
Chemical Geology 339, 43 (2013) DOI:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2012.09.037

Efficient, tightly-confined trapping of ²²⁶Ra (PDF)
R.H. Parker, M.R. Dietrich, K. Bailey, J.P. Greene, R.J. Holt, M.R. Kalita, W. Korsch, Z.-T. Lu, P. Mueller, T.P. O'Connor, J. Singh, I.A. Sulai, W.L. Trimble
Physical Review C 86, 065503 (2012) DOI:10.1103/PhysRevC.86.065503

An Atom Counter for Measuring ⁸¹Kr and ⁸⁵Kr in Environmental Samples
W. Jiang, K. Bailey, Z.-T. Lu, P. Mueller, T.P. O'Connor, C.-F. Cheng, S.-M. Hu, R. Purtschert, N.C. Sturchio, Y.R. Sun, W.D. Williams, and G.-M. Yang
Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 91,1-6 (2012) DOI:10.1016/j.gca.2012.05.019

Optical Excitation and Decay Dynamics of Ytterbium Atoms Embedded in a Solid Neon Matrix Abstract ( PDF / arXiv:1106.3447)
C.-Y. Xu, S.-M. Hu, J. Singh, K. Bailey, Z.-T. Lu, P. Mueller, T. P. O'Connor and U. Welp
Physical Review Letters 107, 093001 (2011)

Ar-39 Detection at the 10^-16 Isotopic Abundance Level with Atom Trap Trace Analysis Abstract ( PDF / arXiv:1101.2933 )
W. Jiang, W. D. Williams, K. Bailey, A.M. Davis, S.-M. Hu, Z.-T. Lu, T.P. O'Connor, R. Purtschert, N.C. Sturchio, Y.R. Sun, P. Mueller
Physical Review Letters 106, 103001 (2011) ( See accompanying Physics Synopsis )

Spectroscopic study of the cycling transition 4s[3/2]₂–4p[5/2]₃ at 811.8 nm in ³⁹Ar: Hyperfine structure and isotope shift Abstract / PDF
W. Williams, Z.-T. Lu, K. Rudinger, C.-Y. Xu, R. Yokochi, and P. Mueller
Physical Review A 83, 012512 (2011)

Atom Trap Trace Analysis of Rare Noble Gas Isotopes
Zheng-Tian Lu, Peter Mueller
in: Advances in Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics 58, 174 (2010)
(Eds. E. Arimondo, P.R. Berman, C.C. Lin)

Progress Toward an EDM Measurement in ²²⁵Ra Abstract PDF
R. J. Holt, I. Ahmad, K. Bailey, B. Graner, J. P. Greene, W. Korsch, Z. T. Lu, P. Mueller, T. P. O'Connor, I. A. Sulai, and W. L. Trimble
Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Symmetries in Subatomic Physics,
Taipei, Taiwan, June 2-5, 2009; Nucl. Phys. A844, 53c-56c (2010)

Lifetime of the 7s6d ¹D₂ atomic state of radium Abstract / PDF
W. L. Trimble, I. A. Sulai, I. Ahmad, K. Bailey, B. Graner, J. P. Greene, R. J. Holt, W. Korsch, Z.-T. Lu,
P. Mueller, and T. P. O’Connor
Physical Review A 80, 054501 (2009)

The role of carrier gases in the production of metastable argon atoms in a rf discharge (PDF)
Kenneth Rudinger, Zheng-Tian Lu, and Peter Mueller
Rev. Sci. Instrum. 80, 036105 (2009)

Simple atom, extreme nucleus - Laser trapping and probing of exotic helium isotopes PDF
Li-Bang Wang, Zheng-Tian Lu, Peter Mueller
Wuli (Physics), Vol. 38, 339 (2009) (Chinese)

Neutronenhalos in neuem Licht. Kernphysik mit exotischen Isotopen Abstract
Wilfried Nörtershäuser, Peter Müller
Physik in unserer Zeit 40, 96 (2009) (German)

Hyperfine Suppression of 2 ³S₁ - 3 ³P_J Transitions in ³He Abstract / (PDF)
I.A. Sulai, Quixue Wu, M. Bishof, G.W.F. Drake, Z.-T. Lu, P. Mueller, and R.Santra
Physical Review Letters 101, 173001 (2008)

Atom Trap, Krypton-81, and Saharan Water Preprint
Zheng-Tian Lu
Nuclear Physics News 18(2), 24 (2008)

Search for a Permanent Electric Dipole Moment in Atoms PDF
Z.-T. Lu
A write-up for National Natural Science Foundation of China (2008) (Chinese)

Nuclear charge radius of ⁸He Abstract / (PDF / arXiv:0801.0601v1)
P. Mueller, I.A. Sulai, A.C.C. Villari, J.A. Alcantara-Nunez, R. Alves-Conde, K. Bailey, G.W.F. Drake, M. Dubois, C. Eleon, G. Gaubert, R.J. Holt, R.V.F. Janssens, N. Lecesne, Z.-T. Lu, T.P. O'Connor, M.-G. Saint-Laurent, J.-C. Thomas, L.-B. Wang
Physical Review Letters 99, 252501 (2007)

Laser-trapping of Ra-225 and Ra-226 with repumping by room temperature blackbody radiation Abstract / (PDF / physics/0701263)
J. R. Guest, N. D. Scielzo, I. Ahmad, K. Bailey, J. P. Greene, R. J. Holt, Z.-T. Lu, T. P. O'Connor, D. H. Potterveld
Physical Review Letters 98, 093001 (2007)

Thermal beam of metastable krypton atoms produced by optical excitation Abstract / (physics/0612046)
Y. Ding, S.-M. Hu, K. Bailey, A. M. Davis, R. W. Dunford, Z.-T. Lu, T. P. O'Connor, L. Young
Review of Scientific Instruments 78, 023103 (2007)

Beam of metastable krypton atoms extracted from a microwave-driven discharge Abstract
Y. Ding, K. Bailey, A.M. Davis, S.-M. Hu, Z.-T. Lu T.P. O'Connor
Review of Scientific Instruments 77, 126105 (2006)

Measurement of the lifetimes of the lowest ³P₁ state of neutral Ba and Ra Abstract / PDF
N.D. Scielzo, J.R. Guest, E.C. Schulte, I. Ahmad, K. Bailey, D.L. Bowers, R.J. Holt, Z.-T. Lu, T.P. O'Connor, and D. Potterveld
Physical Review A 73, 010501(R) (2006)

Fine Structure of the 1s3p ³P_J Level in Atomic ⁴He: Theory and Experiment Abstract / PDF / Preprint (physics/0407114)
P. Mueller, L.-B. Wang, G. W. F. Drake, K. Bailey, Z.-T. Lu, and T. P. O'Connor
Physical Review Letters 94, 133001 (2005)

Searches for stable strangelets in ordinary matter: overview and a recent example Abstract /nucl-ex/0402015
Z.-T. Lu, R. J. Holt, P. Müller, T. P. O’Connor, J. P. Schiffer, L.-B. Wang
Nuclear Physics A 754, 361c (2005)

Atom Trap, krypton-81, and the groundwater underneath the Sahara Desert PDF
X. Du and Z.-T. Lu
Wuli (Physics), Vol. 34, 408 (2005) (Chinese)

Laser Spectroscopic Determination of the ⁶He Nuclear Charge Radius Abstract / PDF / nucl-ex/0408008
L.-B. Wang, P. Mueller, G. W. F. Drake, J. P. Greene, D. Henderson, R. J. Holt, R. V. F. Janssens, C. L. Jiang, Z.-T. Lu, T. P. O’Connor, R. C. Pardo, K. E. Rehm, J. P. Schiffer, X. D. Tang
Physical Review Letters 93, 142501 (2004)

An Atom Trap System for Practical ⁸¹Kr-Dating Abstract
X. Du, K. Bailey, Z.-T. Lu, P. Mueller, T. P. O'Connor, L. Young
Review of Scientific Instruments 75, 3224 (2004)

One million year old groundwater in the Sahara revealed by krypton-81 and chlorine-36 Abstract / physics/0402092
N. C. Sturchio, X. Du, R. Purtschert, B. E. Lehmann, M. Sultan, L. J. Patterson, Z.-T. Lu, P. Mueller, K. Bailey, T. P. O’Connor, L. Young, R. Lorenzo, B. M. Kennedy, M. van Soest, Z. El Alfy, B. El Kaliouby, Y. Dawood, and A. M. A. Abdallah
Geophysical Research Letters 31(5), L05503 (2004)

Counting individual ⁴¹Ca atoms with a Magneto-Optical Trap Abstract / PDF / physics/0310045
I. D. Moore, K. Bailey, J. Greene, Z.-T. Lu, P. Mueller, T. P. O’Connor, Ch. Geppert, K. D. A. Wendt, L. Young
Physical Review Letters 92, 153002 (2004)

Search for anomalously heavy isotopes of helium in the Earth’s atmosphere Abstract / PDF / nucl-ex/0302025
P. Mueller, L.-B. Wang, R. J. Holt, Z.-T. Lu, T. P. O’Connor, and J. P. Schiffer
Physical Review Letters 92, 022501 (2004)

Tracing Noble Gas Radionuclides in the Environment Abstract / nucl-ex/0402013
P. Collon, W. Kutschera and Z.-T. Lu
Annual Review of Nuclear and Particle Science 54, 39 (2004)

Search for a low-lying 3.5-eV isomeric state in ²²⁹Th PDF
I.D. Moore, I. Ahmad, K. Bailey, D. L. Bowers, Z.-T. Lu, T. P. O’Connor, Z. Yin
Physics Division Report PHY-10990-ME-2004

A new method of measuring 81Kr and 85Kr abundances in environmental samples Abstract / physics/0311118
X. Du, R. Purtschert, K. Bailey, B. E. Lehmann, R. Lorenzo, Z.-T. Lu, P. Mueller, T. P. O’Connor, N.C. Sturchio, and L. Young
Geophysical Research Letters 30, 2068 (2003)

Laser spectroscopic measurement of helium isotope ratios Abstract /physics/0311121
L.-B. Wang, P. Mueller, R. Holt, Z.-T. Lu, T.P. O’Connor, Y. Sano, N.C. Sturchio
Geophysical Research Letters 30, 1592 (2003)

Laser-Based Methods for Ultrasensitive Trace-Isotope Analyses (Feature review article) Abstract
Z.-T. Lu and K.D.A. Wendt
Review of Scientific Instruments 74, 1169 (2003)

Towards measuring the charge radius of ⁶He and ⁸He Abstract
P. Mueller, L.-B. Wang, K. Bailey, G.W.F. Drake, X. Du, J. Greene, A.M. Heinz, R.J. Holt, D. Henderson, R.V. Janssens, C.-L. Jiang, C. Law, Z.-T. Lu, I.D. Moore, T.P. O'Connor, R.C. Pardo, M. Paul, T. Pennington, K.E. Rehm, J.P. Schiffer
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physical Research B204, 536 (2003)

A Beam of Metastable Krypton Atoms Extracted from an RF-Driven Discharge Abstract /Preprint (PDF)
C.Y. Chen, K. Bailey, X. Du, Y.M. Li, Z.-T. Lu, T.P. O'Connor, L. Young, G. Winkler
Review of Scientific Instruments 72, 271 (2001)

From Helium-6 to Krypton-81 PDF
Z.-T. Lu
Art and Symmetry in Experimental Physics, Festschrift for Eugene D. Commins, AIP Conference Proceedings 596 (2001)

Ultrasensitive isotope trace analyses with a magneto-optical trap Abstract
C.Y. Chen, Y.M. Li, K. Bailey, T.P. O'Connor, L. Young, Z.-T. Lu
Science 286, 1139 (1999)

Theses

Precision Spectroscopy of Laser Trapped Helium and Radium Atoms PDF
Ibrahim Sulai, PhD Thesis, University of Chicago, 2011

Determination of the Helium-6 Nuclear Charge Radius Using High-Resolution Laser Spectroscopy PDF
Li-Bang Wang, PhD Thesis, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2004

Realization of Radio-Krypton Dating with an Atom Trap PDF
Xu Du, PhD Thesis, Northwestern University, June 2003