English

Ultrahigh-precision measurement of the $n=2$ triplet P fine structure of atomic helium using frequency-offset separated oscillatory fields

Atomic Physics 2018-10-10 v1

Abstract

For decades, improved theory and experiment of the n=2n=2 3^3P fine structure of helium have allowed for increasingly-precise tests of quantum electrodynamics, determinations of the fine-structure constant α\alpha, and limitations on possible beyond-the-Standard-Model physics. Here we use the new frequency-offset separated-oscillatory-fields (FOSOF) technique to measure the 232^3P2 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣23_2\!\!\to\!2^3P1_1 interval. Our result of 2291176590(25)2\,291\,176\,590(25)~Hz represents a major step forward in precision for helium fine-structure measurements.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1807.07923,
  title  = {Ultrahigh-precision measurement of the $n=2$ triplet P fine structure of atomic helium using frequency-offset separated oscillatory fields},
  author = {K. Kato and T. D. G. Skinner and E. A. Hessels},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1807.07923},
  year   = {2018}
}