New limit on the present temporal variation of the fine structure constant

Abstract

The comparison of different atomic transition frequencies over time can be used to determine the present value of the temporal derivative of the fine structure constant alpha in a model-independent way without assumptions on constancy or variability of other parameters. We have measured an optical transition frequency at 688 THz in ^{171}Yb+ with a cesium atomic clock at two times separated by 2.8 years and find a value for the fractional variation of the frequency ratio $f_{\mathrm{Yb}}/f_{\mathrm{Cs}}$ of $(-1.2\pm 4.4)\cdot 10^{-15}$ yr${}^{-1}$, consistent with zero. Combined with recently published values for the constancy of other transition frequencies this measurement sets an upper limit on the present variability of alpha at the level of $2.0\cdot 10^{-15}$ yr${}^{-1}$, corresponding so far to the most stringent limit from laboratory experiments.

4 pages, 3 figures, references updated

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