Progress towards parity violation measurements in Dysprosium

A. Sharma1 , M. Leyser1 , L. Bougas1 , D. Antypas1 and D. Budker1,2

1
Helmholtz Institut Mainz (HIM), Staudingerweg 18, Mainz 55128, Germany
2
Institut für Physik, Johannes Gutenberg Universität, Mainz 55128, Germany
e-mail: sharijit@uni-mainz.de

The observation of weak interactions in atomic sys-

tems can provide a sensitive test of the Standard
Model (SM). Atomic parity violation (APV) is the
only route to investigate weak interactions at low mo-
mentum transfer. APV is caused by the exchange of
Z0 bosons between the electrons and the quarks in
the nucleus and it causes the atomic states to ac-
quire a small admixture of opposite-parity states.
The parity mixing effect is tiny, but it has been
shown [1] that it scales as Z3 , where Z is the nu-
clear charge, and hence the effect is larger for heavier
atoms. In addition to this Z3 scaling, the Bouchi-
ats’ also proposed a technique where parity violating
interactions are amplified through interference with
an electric-field-induced mixing of opposite-parity
states. This method has since been known as the
Stark-interference technique [2].
So far several experiments [3, 4, 5, 6, 7] have
succeeded in observing parity violating signals in
atoms like bismuth (Bi), lead (Pb), thallium (Tl), Figure 1: Relevant energy level diagram in dysprosium.
and cesium (Cs). In more recent years, our group initiated spectroscopy of the 833 nm and 669 nm
has reported on two parity violation experiments in transition as part of our initial activities towards
more heavy and complex atomic systems, ytterbium measurement of the parity violating signal in Dy. We
(Yb) [8] and dysprosium (Dy) [9]. Both systems were also report here measurements on Zeeman crossing
predicted to gain enhancements both from their high spectroscopy in Dy atoms and the effects of optical
nuclear charge and the existence of closely spaced pumping on the Zeeman spectrum using light at 421
opposite parity levels that enhances weak mixing ef- nm.
fects. Atomic dysprosium is remarkable for contain-
ing two nearly degenerate electronic states of oppo- [1] M. A. Bouchiat et al., Phys. Lett. B 48 111-114
site parity, labeled A (even) and B (odd), with an (1974).
electric-dipole transition between them as shown in
Fig. 1. Both states have total electronic angular mo- [2] M. A. Bouchiat et al., J. Phys. II (France) 36,
mentum J = 10 and are found at an energy of 19798 493 (1975).
cm−1 above the ground state. The energy splitting
[3] L. M. Barkov et al., JETP Letters 27, 357
between these states varies as a function of isotope,
(1998).
with stable isotopes at atomic masses of A = 156, 158
and A = 160→164. The sensitivity to PNC (parity [4] M. D. Macpherson, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 67
non-conservation) mixing is enhanced in this system 2784 (1991).
by the small energy separation between these levels,
which can be crossed by applying an external mag- [5] D. M. Meekhof, Phys. Rev. A 71, 3442 (1993).
netic field. [6] P. Vetter et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, (1995). 2658
We have exploited this system as a productive lab-
[7] C. S. Wood et al., Science 275, 1759-1763
oratory for fundamental physics measurements and
(1997).
searches for physics beyond the standard model in a
series of experiments carried out at Berkeley, with the [8] D. Antypas et al., arXiv:1804.05747
experimental installation recently moved to Mainz.
Since the work of Budker et al. [10], the apparatus [9] N. Leefer et al., arXiv:1412.1245
and measurements techniques for the Dy microwave
[10] D. Budker et al., Phys. Rev. A 50, 132 (1994).
transitions have been continuously refined. We have