80 research outputs found

    Precision spectroscopy of the molecular ion HD+: control of Zeeman shifts

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    Precision spectroscopy on cold molecules can potentially enable novel tests of fundamental laws of physics and alternative determination of some fundamental constants. Realizing this potential requires a thorough understanding of the systematic effects that shift the energy levels of molecules. We have performed a complete ab initio calculation of the magnetic field effects for a particular system, the heteronuclear molecular hydrogen ion HD+. Different spectroscopic schemes have been considered, and numerous transitions, all accessible by modern radiation sources and exhibiting well controllable or negligible Zeeman shift, have been found to exist. Thus, HD+ is a perspective candidate for determination of the ratio of electron-to-nuclear reduced mass, and for tests of its time-independence.Comment: A Table added, references and figures update

    Continuous-wave Doppler-cooling of hydrogen atoms with two-photon transitions

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    We propose and analyze the possibility of performing two-photon continuous-wave Doppler-cooling of hydrogen atoms using the 1S-2S transition. "Quenching" of the 2S level (by coupling with the 2P state) is used to increase the cycling frequency, and to control the equilibrium temperature. Theoretical and numerical studies of the heating effect due to Doppler-free two-photon transitions evidence an increase of the temperature by a factor of two. The equilibrium temperature decreases with the effective (quenching dependent) width of the excited state and can thus be adjusted up to values close to the recoil temperature.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures in eps forma

    Non-linear spectroscopy of rubidium: An undergraduate experiment

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    In this paper, we describe two complementary non-linear spectroscopy methods which both allow to achieve Doppler-free spectra of atomic gases. First, saturated absorption spectroscopy is used to investigate the structure of the 5S1/25P3/25{\rm S}_{1/2}\to 5{\rm P}_{3/2} transition in rubidium. Using a slightly modified experimental setup, Doppler-free two-photon absorption spectroscopy is then performed on the 5S1/25D5/25{\rm S}_{1/2}\to 5{\rm D}_{5/2} transition in rubidium, leading to accurate measurements of the hyperfine structure of the 5D5/25{\rm D}_{5/2} energy level. In addition, electric dipole selection rules of the two-photon transition are investigated, first by modifying the polarization of the excitation laser, and then by measuring two-photon absorption spectra when a magnetic field is applied close to the rubidium vapor. All experiments are performed with the same grating-feedback laser diode, providing an opportunity to compare different high resolution spectroscopy methods using a single experimental setup. Such experiments may acquaint students with quantum mechanics selection rules, atomic spectra and Zeeman effect.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figure

    An Improved Experimental Limit on the Electric Dipole Moment of the Neutron

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    An experimental search for an electric-dipole moment (EDM) of the neutron has been carried out at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), Grenoble. Spurious signals from magnetic-field fluctuations were reduced to insignificance by the use of a cohabiting atomic-mercury magnetometer. Systematic uncertainties, including geometric-phase-induced false EDMs, have been carefully studied. Two independent approaches to the analysis have been adopted. The overall results may be interpreted as an upper limit on the absolute value of the neutron EDM of |d_n| < 2.9 x 10^{-26} e cm (90% CL).Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. The published PRL is slightly more terse (e.g. no section headings) than this version, due to space constraints. Note a small correction-to-a-correction led to an adjustment of the final limit from 3.0 to 2.9 E-26 e.cm compared to the first version of this preprin

    Two-Photon Doppler cooling of alkaline-earth-metal and ytterbium atoms

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    A new possibility of laser cooling of alkaline-earth-metal and Ytterbium atoms using a two-photon transition is analyzed. We consider a 1S0^{1}S_{0} - 1S0^{1}S_{0} transition, with excitation in near resonance with the 1P1^{1}P_{1} level. This greatly increases the two-photon transition rate, allowing an effective transfer of momentum. The experimental implementation of this technique is discussed and we show that for Calcium, for example, two-photon cooling can be used to achieve a Doppler limit of 123 microKelvin. The efficiency of this cooling scheme and the main loss mechanisms are analyzed.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

    On the existence of Killing vector fields

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    In covariant metric theories of coupled gravity-matter systems the necessary and sufficient conditions ensuring the existence of a Killing vector field are investigated. It is shown that the symmetries of initial data sets are preserved by the evolution of hyperbolic systems.Comment: 9 pages, no figure, to appear in Class. Quant. Gra

    Optical frequency measurement of the 1S-3S two-photon transition in hydrogen

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    This article reports the first optical frequency measurement of the 1S3S1\mathrm{S}-3\mathrm{S} transition in hydrogen. The excitation of this transition occurs at a wavelength of 205 nm which is obtained with two frequency doubling stages of a titanium sapphire laser at 820 nm. Its frequency is measured with an optical frequency comb. The second-order Doppler effect is evaluated from the observation of the motional Stark effect due to a transverse magnetic field perpendicular to the atomic beam. The measured value of the 1S1/2(F=1)3S1/2(F=1)1\mathrm{S}_{1/2}(F=1)-3\mathrm{S}_{1/2}(F=1) frequency splitting is 2922742936.729(13)MHz2 922 742 936.729 (13) \mathrm{MHz} with a relative uncertainty of 4.5×10124.5\times10^{-12}. After the measurement of the 1S2S1\mathrm{S}-2\mathrm{S} frequency, this result is the most precise of the optical frequencies in hydrogen

    Revised experimental upper limit on the electric dipole moment of the neutron

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    We present for the first time a detailed and comprehensive analysis of the experimental results that set the current world sensitivity limit on the magnitude of the electric dipole moment (EDM) of the neutron. We have extended and enhanced our earlier analysis to include recent developments in the understanding of the effects of gravity in depolarizing ultracold neutrons; an improved calculation of the spectrum of the neutrons; and conservative estimates of other possible systematic errors, which are also shown to be consistent with more recent measurements undertaken with the apparatus. We obtain a net result of dn=−0.21±1.82×10−26  e cm, which may be interpreted as a slightly revised upper limit on the magnitude of the EDM of 3.0×10−26  e cm (90% C.L.) or 3.6×10−26  e cm (95% C.L.)

    Symmetries of spacetime and their relation to initial value problems

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    We consider covariant metric theories of coupled gravity-matter systems satisfying the following two conditions: First, it is assumed that, by a hyperbolic reduction process, a system of first order symmetric hyperbolic partial differential equations can be deduced from the matter field equations. Second, gravity is supposed to be coupled to the matter fields by requiring that the Ricci tensor is a smooth function of the basic matter field variables and the metric. It is shown then that the ``time'' evolution of these type of gravity-matter systems preserves the symmetries of initial data specifications.Comment: 12 pages, to appear in Class. Quant. Gra
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