Observation of a Large Atomic Parity Violation Effect in Ytterbium

Authors

Konstantin Tsigutkin
D. Dounas-Frazer
A. Family
Jason E. Stalnaker, Oberlin CollegeFollow
Valeriy V. Yashchuk
D. Budker

Abstract

Atomic parity violation has been observed in the 6s2 S01→5d6s D13 408-nm forbidden transition of ytterbium. The parity-violating amplitude is found to be 2 orders of magnitude larger than in cesium, where the most precise experiments to date have been performed. This is in accordance with theoretical predictions and constitutes the largest atomic parity-violating amplitude yet observed. This also opens the way to future measurements of neutron distributions and anapole moments by comparing parity-violating amplitudes for various isotopes and hyperfine components of the transition.

Repository Citation

Tsigutkin, K., D. Dounas-Frazer, A. Family, J.E. Stalnaker, et al. 2009. "Observation of a Large Atomic Parity Violation Effect in Ytterbium." Physical Review Letters 103(7): 071601-1-4.

Publisher

American Physical Society

Publication Date

1-1-2009

Publication Title

Physical Review Letters

Department

Physics and Astronomy

Document Type

Article

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.071601

Language

English

Format

text