Subject：Advancing the Search for Parity Violation with Molecular Spectroscopy of PbF and BaF
Speaker：Prof. Richard Mawhorter
Emcee：A/Prof. Hailing Wang
Time：9:30am, 5th Nov, 2019
Place：Science Building A814
Abstract：
Exotic diatomic and now polyatomic polar molecules are playing a key role in extending the sensitivity of a variety of crucial parity non-conservation (PNC) studies. High resolution molecular spectroscopy of these species provides a firm foundation for these studies as well as benchmarking their theoretical underpinnings. Using a collaborative approach, we combine Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy (FTMW) measurements with optical and double resonance optical-microwave techniques to develop robust global fits of large spectroscopic data sets.
One molecule of particular interest is PbF whose 2Π ground state ensures a long lifetime. Our studies of the Zeeman effect and higher vibrational levels in PbF demonstrate the expected insensitivity to stray magnetic fields and the ability to bring states of opposite parity extremely close together. In addition, our new measurements on all 5 isotopologues of BaF and YbOH further extend the reach of molecular spectroscopy in the parity domain.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Richard Mawhorter, a professor in the department of physics & astronomy, Millikan Laboratory, Pomona College, CA, USA. He gained both his Ph. D and M. A from University of Texas at Austin. He receives his B.S from Wheaton College. He started doing molecular spectroscopy on “eEDM” molecules like PbF from 10 years ago. He had been working on more generic alkali halides, such as CsF. He published a serial of journal papers which relate with “eEDM” measurements.
