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Towards a sensitive search for variation of the fine structure constant using radio-frequency E1 transitions in atomic dysprosium

A. T. Nguyen·D. Budker·S. K. Lamoreaux·J. R. Torgerson
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Abstract

It has been proposed that the radio-frequency electric-dipole (E1) transition between two nearly degenerate opposite-parity states in atomic dysprosium should be highly sensitive to possible temporal variation of the fine structure constant ($α$) [V. A. Dzuba, V. V. Flambaum, and J. K. Webb, Phys. Rev. A {\bf 59}, 230 (1999)]. We analyze here an experimental realization of the proposed search in progress in our laboratory, which involves monitoring the E1 transition frequency over a period of time using direct frequency counting techniques. We estimate that a statistical sensitivity of $|\adota| \sim 10^{-18}$/yr may be achieved and discuss possible systematic effects that may limit such a measurement.

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A. T. Nguyen, D. Budker, S. K. Lamoreaux, J. R. Torgerson. 2003-12-15. Towards a sensitive search for variation of the fine structure constant using radio-frequency E1 transitions in atomic dysprosium. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.69.022105

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