dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaLimit on the Temporal Variation of the Fine-Structure Constant Using Atomic Dysprosium
| Authors | A. Cingoz, A. Lapierre, A. -T. Nguyen, N. Leefer, D. Budker, S. K. Lamoreaux, J. R. Torgerson |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0609014 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0609014 |
| DOI | 10.1103/PhysRevLett.98.040801 |
| Journal | Phys.Rev.Lett.98:040801,2007 |
Abstract
Over a period of eight months, we have monitored transition frequencies between nearly degenerate, opposite-parity levels in two isotopes of atomic dysprosium (Dy). These transition frequencies are highly sensitive to temporal variation of the fine-structure constant ($\alpha$) due to relativistic corrections of large and opposite sign for the opposite-parity levels. In this unique system, in contrast to atomic-clock comparisons, the difference of the electronic energies of the opposite-parity levels can be monitored directly utilizing a radio-frequency (rf) electric-dipole transition between them. Our measurements show that the frequency variation of the 3.1-MHz transition in $^{163}$Dy and the 235-MHz transition in $^{162}$Dy are 9.0$\pm$6.7 Hz/yr and -0.6$\pm$6.5 Hz/yr, respectively. These results provide a value for the rate of fractional variation of $\alpha$ of $(-2.7\pm2.6)\times 10^{-15}$ yr$^{-1}$ (1 $\sigma$) without any assumptions on the constancy of other fundamental constants, indicating absence of significant variation at the present level of sensitivity.
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"abstract": "Over a period of eight months, we have monitored transition frequencies\nbetween nearly degenerate, opposite-parity levels in two isotopes of atomic\ndysprosium (Dy). These transition frequencies are highly sensitive to temporal\nvariation of the fine-structure constant ($\\alpha$) due to relativistic\ncorrections of large and opposite sign for the opposite-parity levels. In this\nunique system, in contrast to atomic-clock comparisons, the difference of the\nelectronic energies of the opposite-parity levels can be monitored directly\nutilizing a radio-frequency (rf) electric-dipole transition between them. Our\nmeasurements show that the frequency variation of the 3.1-MHz transition in\n$^{163}$Dy and the 235-MHz transition in $^{162}$Dy are 9.0$\\pm$6.7 Hz/yr and\n-0.6$\\pm$6.5 Hz/yr, respectively. These results provide a value for the rate of\nfractional variation of $\\alpha$ of $(-2.7\\pm2.6)\\times 10^{-15}$ yr$^{-1}$ (1\n$\\sigma$) without any assumptions on the constancy of other fundamental\nconstants, indicating absence of significant variation at the present level of\nsensitivity.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0609014",
"authors": [
"A. Cingoz",
"A. Lapierre",
"A. -T. Nguyen",
"N. Leefer",
"D. Budker",
"S. K. Lamoreaux",
"J. R. Torgerson"
],
"categories": [
"physics.atom-ph"
],
"doi": "10.1103/PhysRevLett.98.040801",
"journal_ref": "Phys.Rev.Lett.98:040801,2007",
"title": "Limit on the Temporal Variation of the Fine-Structure Constant Using Atomic Dysprosium",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0609014"
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