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arXiv · 1011.5445

Measurement of Linear Stark Interference in 199Hg

T. H. Loftus·M. D. Swallows·W. C. Griffith·M. V. Romalis·B. R. Heckel·E. N. Fortson
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Abstract

We present measurements of Stark interference in the 6$^1S_0$ $\rightarrow$ 6$^3P_1$ transition in $^{199}$Hg, a process whereby a static electric field $E$ mixes magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole couplings into an electric dipole transition, leading to $E$-linear energy shifts similar to those produced by a permanent atomic electric dipole moment (EDM). The measured interference amplitude, $a_{SI}$ = $(a_{M1} + a_{E2})$ = (5.8 $\pm$ 1.5)$\times 10^{-9}$ (kV/cm)$^{-1}$, agrees with relativistic, many-body predictions and confirms that earlier central-field estimates are a factor of 10 too large. More importantly, this study validates the capability of the $^{199}$Hg EDM search apparatus to resolve non-trivial, controlled, and sub-nHz Larmor frequency shifts with EDM-like characteristics.

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T. H. Loftus, M. D. Swallows, W. C. Griffith, M. V. Romalis, B. R. Heckel, E. N. Fortson. 2011-06-24. Measurement of Linear Stark Interference in 199Hg. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.106.253002

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