RUI: High-Precision Atomic Structure Measurements and Tests of Fundamental Physics in Group IIIA Atoms

RUI：IIIA族原子的高精度原子结构测量和基础物理测试

• 批准号: 1404206
• 负责人: Protik Majumder
• 金额: $ 34.68万
• 依托单位: Williams College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-09-01 至 2018-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1404206&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RUI; Precision; Atomic; Structure; Measurements

This research program, located at an undergraduate institution, involves table-top experiments with lasers and atoms to gain insights into the so-called "Standard Model of particle physics" that is typically studied by physicists at large particle accelerator facilities. In the present work, properties of the metal atoms thallium and indium are measured to very high accuracy. Results are then compared to state-of-the-art theoretical calculations of these same properties, as high-quality tests of the fundamental physics phenomena probed by these measurements rely critically on the combination of precise experimental results reinforced by accurate, independent atomic structure calculations. Students become involved in all aspects of the experimental work, designing and testing laser, optical, and signal processing systems, and carrying out data collection and data analysis procedures.Over recent decades, highly-precise atomic physics experiments using lasers have contributed important insights into the physics of the Standard Model of particle physics. Such low-energy physics tests complement accelerator-based experimental work. The small size of these effects demands very high precision, extensive study of systematic errors, and careful experimental design. Also, the size of these manifestations of high-energy physics in atoms scale dramatically with Z, the atomic number, suggesting the use of very heavy (and therefore complicated) atomic systems. Yet in order for these measurements in heavy atoms to provide unambiguous tests of the Standard Model, equally precise atomic theory models of the atomic wavefunctions are required to distinguish the ordinary quantum mechanical behavior from the "exotic" particle physics phenomena being targeted. The PI and his students are continuing with an ongoing series of diode laser spectroscopy measurements of the atomic properties of Group IIIA atoms (thallium, indium) which can be compared to state-of-the-art atomic theory calculations. They study atoms both in heated vapor cells as well as a dense, collimated atomic beam apparatus. These atoms contain three valence electrons, challenging the approximation techniques required to accurately compute wavefunctions. This experiment-theory interplay has resulted in significantly improved accuracy in recent years, and therefore improved atomic-physics-based tests of fundamental particle physics processes in these heavy atomic systems. In the longer term, the group is planning to perform a new experiment to measure the Weak Interaction in an atomic beam of thallium atoms, using its parity-violating optical rotation signature, improving upon an experimental result by a group that included the PI some years ago.

该研究计划位于本科机构，涉及激光和原子的桌面实验，以了解对所谓的“粒子物理学标准模型”，通常由大粒子加速器设施的物理学家研究。在目前的工作中，金属原子的特性和依赖的特性非常高准确性。 然后将结果与这些相同特性的最新理论计算进行比较，因为这些测量值探索的基本物理现象的高质量测试主要取决于通过准确，独立的原子结构计算加强的精确实验结果的组合。 学生参与了实验工作，设计和测试激光，光学和信号处理系统的各个方面，并执行数据收集和数据分析程序。近几年来，使用激光器的高度精确的原子物理实验为标准模型物理学物理学提供了重要的见解。 这样的低能物理测试补充了基于加速器的实验工作。 这些效果的小尺寸需要很高的精度，对系统错误的广泛研究以及仔细的实验​​设计。 同样，原子数（原子数）的这些高能量物理学表现的大小显着尺寸，这表明使用非常重（且因此复杂）原子系统。 然而，为了使重原子中的这些测量值提供标准模型的明确测试，需要原子波函数的同样精确的原子理论模型，以区分普通的量子机械行为与目标的“外来”粒子物理现象的目标。 PI和他的学生正在继续进行一系列二极管激光光谱测量，该二亚原子（thallium，indium）的原子特性的测量值可以与最新的原子理论计算进行比较。 他们研究原子在加热的蒸气细胞以及密集的，准原子束设备中。 这些原子包含三个价电子，挑战了准确计算波形所需的近似技术。 近年来，该实验理论相互作用导致准确性显着提高，因此改善了基于原子物理学的基于原子物理学的基础粒子物理过程，这些沉重的原子系统。 从长远来看，该小组计划使用其奇偶校验的光学旋转签名来进行新的实验，以测量thallium原子原子原子中的弱相互作用，从而改善了包括PI在几年前的一组实验结果。