Anapole Moment Studies in Francium

研究人员将在光学陷阱中对最重的碱金属钫的拟极矩进行测量。原子核的赝偶极矩是由核子之间的弱相互作用产生的宇称守恒、时间反转守恒矩。它可以通过测量在左、右坐标系下基态超精细能级上电偶极子原子跃迁的跃迁速率变化来检测。该实验需要用加速器捕获钫原子，冷却并将其运送到第二个科学室，在那里原子将被放置在一个常设微波腔的反节点上。赝偶极矩的测量是研究原子核内中性弱相互作用的一种独特方法。本文将原子分子和光学物理的精密测量技术与低能核结构的前沿理解相结合，以阐明弱相互作用。这项研究将涉及研究生和博士后研究人员与相关教师密切合作。

The researchers will conduct a measurement of the anapole moment in francium, the heaviest of the alkali metals, in an optical trap. The anapole moment of a nucleus is a parity non-conserving, time reversal conserving moment that arises from weak interactions between the nucleons. It can be detected by measuring the change in the transition rate of an electric dipole atomic transition in the ground state hyperfine levels in the presence of a right and left handed coordinate systems.The experiment requires trapping francium atoms on line with an accelerator, cool and transporting them to a second science chamber where the atoms will be placed at the anti-node of a standing microwave cavity. The measurement of an anapole moment is a unique probe for neutral weak interactions inside the nucleus. This proposal combines precision measurement techniques from atomic molecular and optical physics with the forefront understanding of low energy nuclear structure for the elucidation of the weak interaction.This research will involve graduate students and postdoctoral research associates working closely with the faculty members involved.