New Determination of the Fine Structure Constant and Test of the Quantum Electrodynamics

Rym Bouchendira, Pierre Cladé, Saïda Guellati-Khélifa, François Nez, and François Biraben
Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 080801 – Published 24 February 2011

Abstract

We report a new measurement of the ratio h/mRb between the Planck constant and the mass of Rb87 atom. A new value of the fine structure constant is deduced, α1=137.035999037(91) with a relative uncertainty of 6.6×1010. Using this determination, we obtain a theoretical value of the electron anomaly ae=0.00115965218113(84), which is in agreement with the experimental measurement of Gabrielse [ae=0.00115965218073(28)]. The comparison of these values provides the most stringent test of the QED. Moreover, the precision is large enough to verify for the first time the muonic and hadronic contributions to this anomaly.

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  • Received 15 December 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.080801

© 2011 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Rym Bouchendira1, Pierre Cladé1, Saïda Guellati-Khélifa2, François Nez1, and François Biraben1

  • 1Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, CNRS, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France
  • 2Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers, 292 rue Saint Martin, 75141 Paris Cedex 03, France

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Issue

Vol. 106, Iss. 8 — 25 February 2011

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