Weak Charge in Cesium

Atomic cesium has played a central role in parity non-conservation (PNC) measurements over the past 40 years. Currently, the most precise determination of the weak charge Qw of any atomic system is derived from an experiment in cesium from 1997, together with theoretical models. The aim of our program is to apply the two-color, two-pathway coherent control techniques that we have pioneered and demonstrated to conduct new, higher precision studies on the PNC amplitude.

 

We use a two-color two-pathway coherent technique previously pioneered in our lab. For Cs, these are the 540 nm and 1079 nm lasers. We will add a power build-up cavity (PBC), resonant with the 540 nm green beam. Placed within the vacuum chamber, the PBC will greatly increase the intensity of 540 nm light and therefore enhance the modulation signal of the PNC.