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arXiv · 1804.05747

Isotopic variation of parity violation in atomic ytterbium

D. Antypas·A. Fabricant·J. E. Stalnaker·K. Tsigutkin·V. V. Flambaum·D. Budker
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Abstract

We report on measurements of atomic parity violation, made on a chain of ytterbium isotopes with mass numbers A=170, 172, 174, and 176. In the experiment, we optically excite the 6s2 1S0 -> 5d6s 3D1 transition in a region of crossed electric and magnetic fields, and observe the interference between the Stark- and weak-interaction-induced transition amplitudes, by making field reversals that change the handedness of the coordinate system. This allows us to determine the ratio of the weak-interaction-induced electric-dipole (E1) transition moment and the Stark-induced E1 moment. Our measurements, which are at the 0.5% level of accuracy for three of the four isotopes measured, allow a definitive observation of the isotopic variation of the weak-interaction effects in an atom, which is found to be consistent with the prediction of the Standard Model. In addition, our measurements provide information about an additional Z' boson.

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D. Antypas, A. Fabricant, J. E. Stalnaker, K. Tsigutkin, V. V. Flambaum, D. Budker. 2018-04-16. Isotopic variation of parity violation in atomic ytterbium. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-018-0312-8

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