Precision Measurement Techniques and Fundamental Tests with Polarized Noble Gases
Abstract
In this thesis the development of precision measurement techniques using polarized noble gases and a test of the linearity of Quantum Mechanics are presented. Precession of spin exchange polarized ^3He, ^{21}Ne and ^ {129}Xe can be used to sensitively probe for "new physics" coupling to the nuclear spins of the atoms. Development and use of dual noble gas species is central to this work. ^3He is used as an in situ magnetometer with either ^ {21}Ne or ^{129} Xe to reject common mode noise; in particular external magnetic field noise. A test of the linearity of Quantum Mechanics was undertaken by free induction decay detection of precessing ^{21}Ne and ^3 He in a 3 Gauss magnetic field. The quadrupule beat frequency of ^{21}Ne was correlated with the quadrupole polarization of ^{21}Ne to extract the Weinberg non-linearity parameter varepsilon. A null result |varepsilon| < 8.5 muHz at the 1-sigma confidence level was obtained. This represents a non-linear contribution less than 5 times 10^{ -27} of the binding energy of a ^ {21}Ne nucleon. Systematic frequency shifts due to magnetic interactions between the bulk magnetization of the polarized ^{21}Ne and ^3He and thermal and mechanical stresses limited the sensitivity of the technique. In order to reduce systematic frequency shifts associated with time dependent noble gas magnetization, Rubidium Magnetometry and a dual noble gas maser are studied. These techniques also improve the statistical precision to which a frequency measurement can be made. The statistical precision and systematic limitations of these techniques are presented. Further development of these detection techniques promise significant (factor of 100) improvement in noble gases frequency precision.
- Publication:
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Ph.D. Thesis
- Pub Date:
- 1993
- Bibcode:
- 1993PhDT.......176H
- Keywords:
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- QUANTUM MECHANICS;
- Physics: Atomic