Search for Parity Nonconservation in Atomic Ytterbium

University Of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

This project focuses on the high-precision measurement of both the nuclear spin-independent and the nuclear spin-dependent parity-nonconserving (PNC) effects in atomic ytterbium (Yb). While based on proven experimental techniques, these measurements represent a radically different approach compared to earlier work in that they use an atom with an unusually large PNC effect and do not rely on highly accurate atomic calculations. The nuclear spin-independent effect will have a significant impact on our understanding of the semi-leptonic electroweak interactions, while the nuclear spin-dependent effect will provide important information concerning the hadronic electroweak interactions within the nucleus.