Searching for Symmetry Violation with Molecular Ions

Abstract

Molecules have emerged as powerful instruments for conducting precise tests of fundamental symmetries, such as the search for the electron electric dipole moment (eEDM). However, molecules are generally difficult to trap and cool, making it challenging to perform narrow linewidth measurements with long interrogation times without a complicated laser-cooling setup capable of repumping multiple rovibrational levels. Our approach harnesses molecular ions, which offer distinct advantages. They can be readily stored in ion traps for prolonged durations and sympathetically cooled by laser-cooled atomic ions. High-fidelity coherent manipulations and state readout can be performed quantum logic control via co-trapped atomic ions. Notably, atomic lutetium ions are amenable to direct laser cooling, making them ideal candidates to serve as sympathetic coolants and to form pre-cooled molecular ions. Furthermore, Lu-176 boasts one of the largest nuclear electric quadrupole moments of any long-lived isotope, rendering it exceptionally sensitive to the CP-violating nuclear magnetic quadrupole moment (nMQM). I will describe how we can harness these properties in molecular ions containing lutetium, such as LuOH⁺, to probe new physics through the simultaneous investigation of nMQM and eEDM.

Speaker Bio

Dr. Matt Grau is an experimental AMO physicist at Old Dominion University. His research focused on using trapped atomic and molecular ions for quantum computing and tests of fundamental symmetries in the search for new physics beyond the Standard Model. Before joining ODU in Spring 2022, he was a postdoctoral researcher and senior scientist with the trapped ion quantum information group at ETH Zürich. He received his B.S. in Physics from Caltech and his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Colorado Boulder, where his thesis focused on precision measurements of the electron’s electric dipole moment using trapped molecular ions.