0000000000008682
AUTHOR
Nathan Leefer
Limiting P-odd interactions of cosmic fields with electrons, protons and neutrons
We propose methods for extracting limits on the strength of P-odd interactions of pseudoscalar and pseudovector cosmic fields with electrons, protons and neutrons. Candidates for such fields are dark matter (including axions) and dark energy, as well as several more exotic sources described by standard-model extensions. Calculations of parity nonconserving amplitudes and atomic electric dipole moments induced by these fields are performed for H, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Ba+, Tl, Dy, Fr, and Ra+. From these calculations and existing measurements in Dy, Cs and Tl, we constrain the interaction strengths of the parity-violating static pseudovector cosmic field to be 7*10^(-15) GeV with an electron, a…
A test of charge-parity-time invariance at the atto-electronvolt scale
We developed a novel fast measurement procedure for cyclotron frequency comparisons of two individual particles in a Penning trap, which enabled us to compare the charge-to-mass ratio of the proton and the antiproton with a fractional precision of 69 parts per trillion. To date this is the most precise test of charge-parity-time invariance using baryons. Our measurements were performed at cyclotron frequencies of about 30 MHz, which means that charge-parity-time symmetry holds at the atto-electronvolt scale.
Search for the effect of massive bodies on atomic spectra and constraints on Yukawa-type interactions of scalar particles
We propose a new method to search for hypothetical scalar particles that have feeble interactions with Standard-Model particles. In the presence of massive bodies, these interactions produce a non-zero Yukawa-type scalar-field magnitude. Using radio-frequency spectroscopy data of atomic dysprosium, as well as atomic clock spectroscopy data, we constrain the Yukawa-type interactions of a scalar field with the photon, electron, and nucleons for a range of scalar-particle masses corresponding to length scales $ > 10$ cm. In the limit as the scalar-particle mass $m_\phi \to 0$, our derived limits on the Yukawa-type interaction parameters are: $\Lambda_\gamma \gtrsim 8 \times 10^{19}$ GeV, $\Lam…
Nonlinear magneto-optical rotation in rubidium vapor excited with blue light
We present experimental and numerical studies of nonlinear magneto-optical rotation (NMOR) in rubidium vapor excited with resonant light tuned to the $5^2\!S_{1/2}\rightarrow 6^2\!P_{1/2}$ absorption line (421~nm). Contrary to the experiments performed to date on the strong $D_1$ or $D_2$ lines, in this case, the spontaneous decay of the excited state $6^2\!P_{1/2}$ may occur via multiple intermediate states, affecting the dynamics, magnitude and other characteristics of NMOR. Comparing the experimental results with the results of modelling based on Auzinsh et al., Phys. Rev. A 80, 1 (2009), we demonstrate that despite the complexity of the structure, NMOR can be adequately described with a…
Search for Ultralight Scalar Dark Matter with Atomic Spectroscopy
We report new limits on ultralight scalar dark matter (DM) with dilaton-like couplings to photons that can induce oscillations in the fine-structure constant alpha. Atomic dysprosium exhibits an electronic structure with two nearly degenerate levels whose energy splitting is sensitive to changes in alpha. Spectroscopy data for two isotopes of dysprosium over a two-year span is analyzed for coherent oscillations with angular frequencies below 1 rad/s. No signal consistent with a DM coupling is identified, leading to new constraints on dilaton-like photon couplings over a wide mass range. Under the assumption that the scalar field comprises all of the DM, our limits on the coupling exceed tho…
Parity-violating interactions of cosmic fields with atoms, molecules, and nuclei: Concepts and calculations for laboratory searches and extracting limits
We propose methods and present calculations that can be used to search for evidence of cosmic fields by investigating the parity-violating effects, including parity nonconservation amplitudes and electric dipole moments, that they induce in atoms. The results are used to constrain important fundamental parameters describing the strength of the interaction of various cosmic fields with electrons, protons, and neutrons. Candidates for such fields are dark matter (including axions) and dark energy, as well as several more exotic sources described by standard-model extensions. Existing parity nonconservation experiments in Cs, Dy, Yb, and Tl are combined with our calculations to directly place …
Eddy current imaging with an atomic radio-frequency magnetometer
We use a radio-frequency $^{85}$Rb alkali-vapor cell magnetometer based on a paraffin-coated cell with long spin-coherence time and a small, low-inductance driving coil to create highly resolved conductivity maps of different objects. We resolve sub-mm features in conductive objects, we characterize the frequency response of our technique, and by operating at frequencies up to 250 kHz we are able to discriminate between differently conductive materials based on the induced response. The method is suited to cover a wide range of driving frequencies and can potentially be used for detecting non-metallic objects with low DC conductivity.
Towards an Improved Measurement of the Proton Magnetic Moment
The BASE collaboration performed the most precise measurement of the proton magnetic moment. By applying the so-called double Penning-trap method with a single proton a fractional precision of 3.3 parts-per-billion was reached. This article describes the primary limitations of the last measurement and discusses improvements to reach the sub-parts-per-billion level.
New Atomic Methods for Dark Matter Detection
We calculate the parity and time-reversal violating effects that are induced in atoms, nuclei, and molecules by their interaction with various background cosmic fields, such as axion dark matter or dark energy.
Microwave-free magnetometry with nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond
We use magnetic-field-dependent features in the photoluminescence of negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy centers to measure magnetic fields without the use of microwaves. In particular, we present a magnetometer based on the level anti-crossing in the triplet ground state at 102.4 mT with a demonstrated noise floor of 6 nT/$\sqrt{\text{Hz}}$, limited by the intensity noise of the laser and the performance of the background-field power supply. The technique presented here can be useful in applications where the sensor is placed closed to conductive materials, e.g. magnetic induction tomography or magnetic field mapping, and in remote-sensing applications since principally no electrical acces…
Miniature Cavity-Enhanced Diamond Magnetometer
We present a highly sensitive miniaturized cavity-enhanced room-temperature magnetic-field sensor based on nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond. The magnetic resonance signal is detected by probing absorption on the 1042\,nm spin-singlet transition. To improve the absorptive signal the diamond is placed in an optical resonator. The device has a magnetic-field sensitivity of 28 pT/$\sqrt{\rm{Hz}}$, a projected photon shot-noise-limited sensitivity of 22 pT/$\sqrt{\rm{Hz}}$ and an estimated quantum projection-noise-limited sensitivity of 0.43 pT/$\sqrt{\rm{Hz}}$ with the sensing volume of $\sim$ 390 $\mu$m $\times$ 4500 $\mu$m$^{2}$. The presented miniaturized device is the basis for an e…
Constraints on exotic spin-dependent interactions between electrons from helium fine-structure spectroscopy
Agreement between theoretical calculations of atomic structure and spectroscopic measurements is used to constrain possible contribution of exotic spin-dependent interactions between electrons to the energy differences between states in helium-4. In particular, constraints on dipole-dipole interactions associated with the exchange of pseudoscalar bosons (such as axions or axion-like particles) with masses ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}\ensuremath{\lesssim}m\ensuremath{\lesssim}{10}^{4}\mathrm{eV}$ are improved by a factor of $\ensuremath{\sim}100$. The first atomic-scale constraints on several exotic velocity-dependent dipole-dipole interactions are established as well.