Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics Seminar

The effects of nuclear spin-dependent parity non-conservation, which are of relevance in both nuclear and particle physics, can be dramatically enhanced in diatomic molecules. These effects are due to weak interactions between electrons and the nucleus, as well as to weak interactions between nucleons. Measurement of these effects can shed light on poorly understood areas of electroweak theory, as well as serve as a test for physics beyond the Standard Model.

Measurements of parity violation can be enhanced in certain atomic or molecular systems by bringing two levels of opposite parity close to degeneracy, eg. by using the Zeeman effect. Accurate measurement of mixing between hyperfine/rotational levels using laser and radiofrequency spectroscopy can then be used to determine the strength of the parity-violating weak interaction. I report on the progress of our experiment to measure this effect in ¹³⁷BaF.