Hannover 2010 – scientific programme
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A: Fachverband Atomphysik
A 23: Poster II
A 23.24: Poster
Thursday, March 11, 2010, 16:30–19:00, Lichthof
Spectroscopy of atomic Radium — •Bodhaditya Santra, Umakanth Dammalapati, Alexander Groot, Klaus Jungmann, and Lorenz Willmann — Kernfysisch Versneller Instituut, University of Groningen, Netherlands
In preparation for a search for a permanent electric dipole moment (EDM) in the heavy alkaline earth element Ra we perform laser spectroscopy to determine energy levels and hyperfine structure splitting. Ra exhibits the largest known atomic enhancement factors for EDMs which violate parity and time reversal symmetries. The intrinsic sensitivity arises from the specific atomic and nuclear structure of Ra. All Ra isotopes with nuclear spin I are radioactive with lifetimes shorter than 15d. Several Ra isotopes are available at the TRIµP facility at KVI. In an effusive atomic beam from an oven containing about 1010 225Ra atoms we performed Doppler-free laser spectroscopy. The 7s2 1S0 - 7s7p 1P1 transition at the wavelength 483nm was calibrated against known lines in molecular 130Te2. The hyperfine structure splitting was determined to 4196(4) MHz. This transition is best suited for efficient laser cooling of Ra. Furthermore, we build a laser system for magneto optical trapping of Ra on the 7s2 1S0 - 7s7p 3P1 intercombination transition at wavelength 714nm based on semiconductor lasers. The setup of the experiment and the results will be discussed.