PM: Quantum-Enabled Spectroscopy of Highly Charged Metal Ions as a Search for New Physics at the Low-Energy, High-Precision Frontier

PM：高带电金属离子的量子光谱学作为低能量、高精度前沿新物理学的探索

基本信息

批准号：
2110102
负责人：
Samuel Brewer
金额：
$ 51.05万
依托单位：
Colorado State University
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Standard Grant
财政年份：
2021
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2021-09-01 至 2024-08-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2110102&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
PM Quantum Enabled Spectroscopy Highly

项目摘要

For this project, an experiment will be developed to perform high-precision laser spectroscopy of trapped highly charged ions for the purpose of testing fundamental physics at low energy. Highly charged ions (atoms in which several electrons have been removed) are among the most sensitive systems to a possible time-variation of the fundamental constants. This high sensitivity, combined with laser-accessible transitions, makes them a unique platform for investigating predicted extensions to the standard model of particle physics. This project will focus on the development of an optical atomic clock based on trapped highly charged ions. The experiment will combine techniques that have been developed for ion trap-based quantum computing and optical frequency standards with a compact source of highly charged ions. This work includes the training of students in the fields of experimental atomic, molecular, and optical physics, optical frequency metrology, and precision measurements. The experimental work will be performed in close collaboration with researchers from the theoretical elementary particle physics community.Several optical transitions in highly charged ions provide both an enhanced sensitivity to possible time-variation of the fine-structure constant (alpha) and favorable systematics as optical clocks when compared to singly charged ions and neutral atoms. Using quantum-enabled spectroscopy techniques, the research team aims to develop an optical atomic clock based on narrow linewidth transitions in highly charged ions. A highly charged ion optical clock with a fractional systematic uncertainty at the level of one part in ten to the eighteen could lead to a factor of one hundred improvement in the current laboratory limit on time-variation of alpha. Either an improved limit on the constancy of alpha or a non-zero signal of the time-variation of alpha could be used to constrain physics beyond the standard model of particle physics. Results from this experimental work will be analyzed in the context of theoretical extensions to the standard model that propose new dark matter candidates and couplings that would lead to the observation of a non-zero value of the time-variation of alpha.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

对于该项目，将开发一个实验，以对被困的高度电荷离子进行高精度激光光谱，以便在低能量下测试基本物理。高电荷离子（已去除几个电子的原子）是最敏感的系统，可能是基本常数的可能时间变化的系统。这种高灵敏度与激光访问的过渡相结合，使它们成为研究粒子物理标准模型的预测扩展的独特平台。该项目将重点介绍基于被困高的离子的光原子时钟的开发。该实验将结合已开发的基于离子陷阱的量子计算和光学频率标准的技术，并与高电荷离子的紧凑源。这项工作包括在实验原子，分子和光学物理学，光学频率计量学和精度测量领域的学生培训。实验工作将与理论基本粒子物理社区的研究人员密切合作进行。高电荷离子的几个光学转变既可以提高对优质结构常数（Alpha）可能时间变化的敏感性，又提供了有利的系统循环，将其作为光学时钟，而与人为荷里的离子和中性的离子和中性载体相比。研究小组使用源自量子的光谱技术，旨在根据高电荷离子中的狭窄线宽过渡开发光原子时钟。一个高电荷的离子光学时钟，具有分数系统不确定性在十到十八的一部分的水平，可能会导致当前实验室的alpha时间变化的实验室限制，从而提高一百倍。对α恒定的限制的限制或α的时间变化的非零信号可以用于限制超出粒子物理标准模型的物理。这项实验工作的结果将在理论扩展到标准模型的背景下进行分析，该标准模型提出了新的暗物质候选者和耦合，这将导致观察到Alpha的时间变化的非零值，该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过使用基金会的范围进行评估，并通过评估了基金会和广泛的影响。