Recent proposals for simulating orbital magnetism with neutral atoms [1] rely on the tranfer of a well controlled phase from an optical field to the atomic wavefunction. For the Ytterbium experiment this requires the use of a laser with a stability close to the standards of optical atomic clocks [2].

During this group seminar I will first expose the main objectives, status and expected developments of the Ytterbium experiment, and then focus on the recent implementation of an ultra narrow linewidth (< 100 Hz) laser.

[1] D. Jaksch and P. Zoller, New Journal of Physics 5 (2003) 56.1–56.11 ; F. Gerbier and J. Dalibard , New Journal of Physics 12 (2010) 033007
[2] N. Hinkley et al., Science 13 September 2013: 1215-1218.