Frequency metrology of the 1S-3S transition of hydrogen : contribution to the proton charge radius puzzle

Overview & Synopsis

The precise measurement of the 1S-3S transition frequency of hydrogen could have a great impact on the proton charge radius puzzle, which results from the recent spectroscopy of muonic hydrogen. In our experiment, the two-photon 1S-3S transition is excited in a hydrogen atomic beam, with a continuous-wave 205-nm laser which is obtained by sum frequency generation in a non-linear crystal. The transition frequency is measured with respect to the LNE-SYRTE Cs clock by means of a frequency comb. Recording the signal for several values of an applied magnetic field allows to estimate the velocity distribution of the atoms in the beam and deduce the second-order Doppler shift. Other frequency-shifting systematic effects have been taken into account: cross-damping, light shift, collisions. A complete study has shown that the velocity distribution does not depend significantly on the pressure, and allowed to determine the collisional shift. Eventually, a value of the 1S-3S transition frequency is obtained with an uncertainty of about 5 kHz, or a relative uncertainty of 1.7 10^-12. It is in very good agreement with the CODATA recommended value. This new measurement contributes to the ongoing search to solve the proton radius puzzle.