Physics – Atomic Physics
Scientific paper
2006-09-01
Phys.Rev.Lett.98:040801,2007
Physics
Atomic Physics
4 pages, 2 figures
Scientific paper
10.1103/PhysRevLett.98.040801
Over a period of eight months, we have monitored transition frequencies between nearly degenerate, opposite-parity levels in two isotopes of atomic dysprosium (Dy). These transition frequencies are highly sensitive to temporal variation of the fine-structure constant ($\alpha$) due to relativistic corrections of large and opposite sign for the opposite-parity levels. In this unique system, in contrast to atomic-clock comparisons, the difference of the electronic energies of the opposite-parity levels can be monitored directly utilizing a radio-frequency (rf) electric-dipole transition between them. Our measurements show that the frequency variation of the 3.1-MHz transition in $^{163}$Dy and the 235-MHz transition in $^{162}$Dy are 9.0$\pm$6.7 Hz/yr and -0.6$\pm$6.5 Hz/yr, respectively. These results provide a value for the rate of fractional variation of $\alpha$ of $(-2.7\pm2.6)\times 10^{-15}$ yr$^{-1}$ (1 $\sigma$) without any assumptions on the constancy of other fundamental constants, indicating absence of significant variation at the present level of sensitivity.
Budker Dmitry
Cingoz Arman
Lamoreaux Steve K.
Lapierre A.
Leefer N.
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