Abstract
It has been proposed that the radio-frequency electric-dipole transition between two nearly degenerate opposite-parity states in atomic dysprosium should be highly sensitive to possible temporal variation of the fine-structure constant [V. A. Dzuba, V. V. Flambaum, and J. K. Webb, Phys. Rev. A 59, 230 (1999)]. We analyze here an experimental realization of the proposed search in progress in our laboratory, which involves monitoring the transition frequency over a period of time using direct frequency counting techniques. We estimate that a statistical sensitivity of may be achieved and discuss possible systematic effects that may limit such a measurement.
- Received 28 August 2003
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.69.022105
©2004 American Physical Society