Improved experimental limit on the electric dipole moment of the electron

Journal Article · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Physical Review A; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.50.2960· OSTI ID:7005596

Commins, E D; Ross, S B; DeMille, D; Regan, B C ^[1]

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1. Physics Department, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States) Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)

New results are reported in our search for the electric dipole moment [ital d][sub [ital e]] of the electron in the ground 6 [sup 2][ital P][sub 1/2] state of [sup 205]Tl. The atomic-beam magnetic resonance method is employed with separated oscillating fields. A magnetic field [bold B] defines the axis of quantization, and an electric field [bold E], parallel to [bold B], is applied in the region between the oscillating fields. Laser optical pumping is used for state selection and analysis, and the signal is fluorescence accompanying the decay of excited atoms in the analyzer region. The signature of a nonzero electric dipole moment is a dependence of the signal on the [ital P],[ital T]-odd rotational invariant [bold E][center dot][bold B] ([ital P] and [ital T] denote parity and time reversal, respectively). Two counterpropagating atomic beams are employed to reduce a systematic effect due to the motional magnetic field [bold E][times][bold v]/[ital c]. Auxiliary experiments are performed to isolate and eliminate residual sources of systematic error. The result is [ital d][sub [ital e]]=[1.8[plus minus]1.2(statistical)[plus minus]1.0(systematic)][times]10[sup [minus]27] e cm. A detailed discussion is given of the experimental method, sources of systematic error and their elimination, and results.

• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 7005596
• Journal Information: Physical Review A; (United States), Journal Name: Physical Review A; (United States) Vol. 50:4; ISSN 1050-2947; ISSN PLRAAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

664200* -- Spectra of Atoms & Molecules & their Interactions with Photons-- (1992-)
664400 -- Experimentally Derived Information on Atomic & Molecular Properties-- (1992-)
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ACCURACY
ATOMIC BEAMS
BEAMS
DIPOLE MOMENTS
ELECTRIC DIPOLE MOMENTS
ELECTRIC MOMENTS
ENERGY LEVELS
FLUORESCENCE
GROUND STATES
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
LASER SPECTROSCOPY
LUMINESCENCE
MAGNETIC RESONANCE
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
P STATES
QUANTIZATION
RESONANCE
RESONANCE FLUORESCENCE
SPECTROSCOPY
STABLE ISOTOPES
THALLIUM 205
THALLIUM ISOTOPES