Precision Measurements with Polarized Spins

通过极化旋转进行精确测量

• 批准号: 1068876
• 负责人: Ronald Walsworth
• 金额: $ 30万
• 依托单位: Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-09-15 至 2014-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1068876&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Precision; Measurements; Polarized; Spins

This research program is aimed at performing precision co-magnetometry using atomic physics tools to enable sensitive searches for new physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. These experiments will employ a dual-species maser operating simultaneously with optically-pumped Xenon-129 and Helium-3 gas. By using one of the noble-gas masers as a co-magnetometer, and stabilizing its maser frequency by comparison to an atomic clock, one can precisely control the magnetic field environment of the second noble-gas maser and then employ this maser as a very sensitive sensor for new physics that couples to the noble gas nucleus, with no significant contribution from the atomic electrons. The experiments to be carried out include a sensitive test of Lorentz symmetry (one of the fundamental aspects of the theory of relativity) and CPT (Charge conjugation, Parity, and Time reversal) symmetry for the neutron.Broader impacts of the program include the application of the atomic physics based precision measurement techniques of this research into the development of novel tools for magnetometry and bioimaging. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at low magnetic fields of hyperpolarized noble gas inhaled into human lungs and atom-like Nitrogen Vacancy (NV) color centers in diamond, which may provide sensitive magnetometers to monitor electromagnetic activity in neuronal networks, are two examples.

该研究计划旨在使用原子物理工具进行精密共磁测量，以便对粒子物理标准模型之外的新物理进行敏感搜索。这些实验将使用双种脉泽与光泵氙气-129和氦-3气体同时工作。通过将其中一个惰性气体微波激射器作为共磁计，并通过与原子钟的比较稳定其激射器频率，可以精确地控制第二个惰性气体微波激射器的磁场环境，然后将该微波激射器用作与惰性气体核耦合的新物理的非常灵敏的传感器，而不需要原子电子的显著贡献。将要进行的实验包括对中子的洛伦兹对称性（相对论的一个基本方面）和CPT（电荷共轭、奇偶性和时间反转）对称性的敏感测试。该计划的广泛影响包括将原子物理学的精密测量技术应用于磁强计和生物成像的新工具的开发。在吸入人体肺部的超极化惰性气体的低磁场下的磁共振成像（MRI）和钻石中的原子样氮空位（NV）色中心是两个例子，它们可以提供灵敏的磁磁计来监测神经网络中的电磁活动。