Experiments Using Long Coherence Times in Atoms

这个实验研究计划的重点是在各种实验中利用原子状态之间的过渡与长相干时间的最新进展的延续。 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，例如时间反演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一个永久的原子电偶极矩（EDM），它可以存在，只有当时间反演对称性被违反。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镱的奇数同位素中演示西西弗斯冷却的基础上，以探索基态和亚稳态之间异常尖锐的光学间隔。长期目标是开发足够稳定的光学时钟，以测量基本量的时间变化，如精细结构常数α，其水平为每年10到18分之一。 在人力资源方面，值得注意的是，在上一个赠款期间，一名博士后、两名研究生和六名本科生是妇女，这是该方案内多样性的有力论据。

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.