Spectroscopy of the ^2S_1/2 → ^2P_3/2 transition in Yb II: Isotope shifts, hyperfine splitting and branching ratios

We report on spectroscopic results on the ^2S_1/2 → ^2P_3/2 transition in single trapped Yb^+ ions. We measure the isotope shifts for all stable Yb^+ isotopes except ¹⁷³Yb^+, as well as the hyperfine splitting of the ^2P_3/2 state in ¹⁷¹Yb^+. Our results are in agreement with previous measurements but are a factor of 5-9 more precise. For the hyperfine constant Aleft\(^2P_3/2right\) = 875.4(10) MHz our results also agree with previous measurements but deviate significantly from theoretical predictions. We present experimental results on the branching ratios for the decay of the ^2P_3/2 state. We find branching fractions for the decay to the ^2D_3/2 state and ^2D_5/2 state of 0.17(1)% and 1.08(5)%, respectively, in rough agreement with theoretical predictions. Furthermore, we measured the isotope shifts of the ^2F_7/2 → ^1Dleft\[5/2right\]_5/2 transition and determine the hyperfine structure constant for the ^1Dleft\[5/2right\]_5/2 state in ¹⁷¹Yb^+ to be Aleft\(^1Dleft\[5/2right\]_5/2right\) = -107(6) MHz.