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arXiv · 1607.06825

High sensitivity to mass-ratio variation in deep molecular potentials

D. Hanneke·R. A. Carollo·D. A. Lane
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Abstract

Molecular vibrational transitions are prime candidates for model-independent searches for variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio. Searches for present-day variation achieve highest sensitivity with deep molecular potentials. We identify several high-sensitivity transitions in the deeply bound ${\rm O}_2^+$ molecular ion. These transitions are electric-dipole forbidden and thus have narrow linewidths. The most sensitive transitions take advantage of an accidental degeneracy between vibrational states in different electronic potentials. We suggest experimentally feasible routes to a measurement with uncertainty exceeding current limits on present-day variation in $m_p/m_e$.

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D. Hanneke, R. A. Carollo, D. A. Lane. 2016-07-22. High sensitivity to mass-ratio variation in deep molecular potentials. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.94.050101

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