Trap-loss spectroscopy of Rydberg states in ytterbium

We present an experimental study of the Rydberg ${}^1{S}_0$- and ${}^1{P}_1$- series of ytterbium for principal quantum numbers in the range of $n=70$ to $90$. The study is performed using trap loss spectroscopy in a magneto-optical trap operating on the $6^1{S}_0\to 6^1{P}_1$ transition at $399\text{nm}$. Compared to the commonly used Rydberg spectroscopy method using field-ionization and ion detection, trap loss spectroscopy is significantly simpler and requires a less sophisticated experimental setup. Using this method we determine relative values of the scalar and tensor electric polarizabilities of both, $6sns{}^1{S}_0$- and $6snp{}^1{P}_1$- Rydberg states.