Experiments Using Long Coherence Times in Atoms

使用原子长相干时间的实验

• 批准号: 0457320
• 负责人: Norval Fortson
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Washington
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-07-01 至 2009-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0457320&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Experiments; Using; Long; Coherence; Times

This experimental research program focuses on the continuation of recent advances in a variety of experiments utilizing transitions between atomic states with long coherence times. These experiments use atoms to address the most fundamental issues in elementary particle physics, such as time-reversal symmetry and possible variation of fundamental constants. A major effort is to continue the search for a permanent atomic electric dipole moment (EDM), which can exist only if time-reversal symmetry is violated. A second major project, with optically cooled and trapped ytterbium atoms, builds on the group's recent demonstration of Sisyphus cooling in the odd isotopes of ytterbium to explore the extraordinarily sharp optical interval between the ground state and the metastable state. The long-range goal is to develop optical clocks of sufficient stability to measure time variations of fundamental quantities such as the fine structure constant alpha at the level of one part in 10 to the 18 per year. In terms of human resources, it is noteworthy that in the previous grant period, one postdoc, two of the graduate students and six of the undergraduate participants have been women, a strong argument for the diversity within the program.

本实验研究计划的重点是利用长相干时间的原子状态之间的跃迁进行各种实验的最新进展。这些实验使用原子来解决基本粒子物理学中最基本的问题，例如时间反转对称性和基本常数的可能变化。一个主要的努力是继续寻找永久的原子电偶极矩（EDM），它只有在时间反转对称性被违反的情况下才能存在。第二个主要项目是光学冷却和捕获的镱原子，该项目建立在该小组最近在奇数同位素的镱中进行的西西弗斯冷却演示的基础上，以探索基态和亚稳态之间异常明显的光学间隔。长期目标是开发具有足够稳定性的光学时钟，以测量基本量的时间变化，例如精细结构常数α在每年10到18分之一的水平上。在人力资源方面，值得注意的是，在之前的资助期内，一名博士后，两名研究生和六名本科生参与者是女性，这有力地证明了项目内部的多样性。