New techniques for a measurement of the electron's electric dipole moment

Abstract

The electric dipole moment of the electron (eEDM) can be measured with high precision using heavy polar molecules. In this paper, we report on a series of new techniques that have improved the statistical sensitivity of the YbF eEDM experiment. We increase the number of molecules participating in the experiment by an order of magnitude using a carefully designed optical pumping scheme. We also increase the detection efficiency of these molecules by another order of magnitude using an optical cycling scheme. In addition, we show how to destabilise dark states and reduce backgrounds that otherwise limit the efficiency of these techniques. Together, these improvements allow us to demonstrate a statistical sensitivity of $1.8\times 10^{-28}$ e cm after one day of measurement, which is 1.2 times the shot-noise limit. The techniques presented here are applicable to other high-precision measurements using molecules.

arXiv comment22 pages, 11 figures

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Cited by in corpus (18)

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• Observation and laser spectroscopy of ytterbium monomethoxide, YbOCH${}_3$
• Calculations of Time-Reversal Symmetry Violation Sensitivity Parameters Based on Analytic Relativistic Coupled-Cluster Gradient Theory
• Ultracold ${}^{88}{\mathrm{Sr}}_2$ molecules in the absolute ground state
• Benchmarking of the Fock space coupled cluster method and uncertainty estimation: Magnetic hyperfine interaction in the excited state of BaF
• Direct observation of the Yb(4f13 6s2)F states and accurate determination of the YbF ionization energy
• Sympathetic cooling and slowing of molecules with Rydberg atoms
• Searching for axion forces with spin precession in atoms and molecules
• Symmetry breaking in sticky collisions between ultracold molecules
• Electric dipole moment in storage ring experiments
• Slow molecular beams from a cryogenic buffer gas source
• Understanding inner-shell excitations in molecules through spectroscopy of the 4f hole states of YbF
• Resonances in non-universal dipolar collisions
• Laser spectroscopy and CP-violation sensitivity of actinium monofluoride
• Spontaneous CP Violation and Horizontal Symmetry in the MSSM: Toward Lepton Flavor Naturalness