eEDM:Measurement of the electron electric dipole moment

基本粒子物理的标准模型预测，电子的电偶极矩(EEDM)太小，无法测量。然而，标准模型的现代扩展--例如超对称理论或其他带有额外粒子或场的理论--预测的值在实验可及的范围内。因此，eEDM测量是对超越标准模型的物理的探索。由于永久电子电火花违反了时间反转对称性，它还与CP破坏和宇宙中物质和反物质之间的表观不对称性这一重要问题密切相关。我们现在正在进行迄今为止最灵敏的eEDM测量，这是一种测试新物理理论的测量。我们的方法使用激光操控冷极性分子，这些分子最终会在超低温下被捕获。与目前最好的测量方法相比，这种方法有望将eEDM搜索的精度提高2-3个数量级。在这项滚动赠款提案中，我们正在寻求对正在进行的发展方案的支持，该方案将使我们能够实现这一承诺。这提供了一个令人兴奋的前景，要么检测到非零的eEDM，要么排除新物理的一大部分模型。

The Standard Model of elementary particle physics predicts that the electric dipole moment of the electron (eEDM) is far too small to measure. However, modern extensions to the standard model - e.g. supersymmetric theories or other theories with additional particles or fields - predict values in the range accessible to experiment. Hence, the eEDM measurement is a search for physics beyond the standard model. Since a permanent electron EDM violates time-reversal symmetry, it is also deeply connected to the important issue of CP violation and the apparent asymmetry between matter and antimatter in the universe. We are now in the middle of making the most sensitive eEDM measurement to date, a measurement that tests theories of new physics. Our method uses laser manipulation of cold polar molecules, which will eventually be trapped at ultra-low temperature. This approach has the promise of improving on the precision of the eEDM search by 2-3 orders of magnitude compared with the current best measurement. In this rolling-grant proposal, we are seeking support for an ongoing programme of development that will allow us to realise this promise. This offers the exciting prospect of either detecting a non-zero eEDM or excluding a large fraction of the models for new physics.