Optical double-resonance cooled-atom spectroscopy - art. no. 023402

We demonstrate that laser cooling, combined with V-scheme optical double-re sonance spectroscopy, provides a sensitive means to measure isotope shifts and hyperfine splittings. Our technique is illustrated using the 398.8-nm ( 6s(2))S-1(0)-(6s6p)P-1(1) and 555.6-nm (6s(2))S-1(0)-(6s6p)P-3(1) transitio ns in a neutral ytterbium atomic beam having natural isotopic composition. With a precision comparable to existing approaches, our unique method has e nabled the most complete single-technique survey to date of the S-1(0)-P-1( 1) isotope shifts and hyperfine splittings.