In addition to measurements of fundamental atomic properties, the Jayich Lab is pursuing the following experiments.
Recent measurements of parity (P) and time-reversal (T) violating moments are now probing physics at energy scales beyond the direct reach of the Large Hadron Collider. Radium-based molecules are promising for constraining hadronic P, T-odd forces. The heavy and octupole-deformed radium nucleus enhances sensitivity to new physics in the hadronic sector. This sensitivity is further enhanced when radium is incorporated into molecules such as RaOH+ or RaOCH3+ that have large effective electric fields and a molecular structure that is critical for reducing systematic uncertainties.
We have succeeded in the formation and detection of both RaOH+ and RaOCH3+ in a linear Paul trap. We are currently constructing a “wheel trap” in a new vacuum system for quantum logic spectroscopy of these molecules.
To learn more about this work, and our measurements of Ra+ properties, watch this virtual AMO Seminar.
As part of a UC-wide collaborative effort our group is working on the electrode structure design for the shuttling of ions in three dimensions and the splitting and merging of ion chains in micro-3D printed traps. These traps will be printed at Lawrence Livermore National Lab using two-photon polymerization direct laser writing, and will enable sub-micron resolution traps. This experiment aims to enable quantum computing by offering both the scalability of “chip” traps and the trap depth and high gate fidelities of macro-3D traps.
This experiment will take place in a cryogenic system to enable rapid testing of different 3D printed traps. The experiment is currently under construction, and micro-3D traps will be initially loaded with strontium ions.
Optical clocks are the most precise instruments ever realized. They have the potential to uncover new physics beyond the standard model at the high-precision, low-energy frontier, including searches for ultralight scalar dark matter, the time variation of fundamental constants, and violations of Einstein’s equivalence principle. Transportable optical clocks could fundamentally change the operation of global position systems. In combination with ground-based optical clock networks, space-based transportable optical clocks are a promising candidate for the redefinition of the second.
A radium ion optical clock is exciting for constraining new physics and for a robust transportable optical clock. The radium ion clock transition has the largest positive enhancement to potential time variation of the fine structure constant of any demonstrated clock. All wavelengths needed for operating a radium ion optical clock can be accessed with direct diode lasers. We realized the world’s first radium ion clock with radium-226 (I=0), and are now working towards a radium-225 (I=1/2) clock, which will provide fast, efficient state preparation and a magnetic field insensitive clock transition.