Measuring the electron´s electric dipole moment using ultracold molecules

New fundamental particles at high energy scales that have not been reached by the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) could explain the observed matter-antimatter asymmetry that cannot be understood by the Standard Model of particle physics.

These hypothetical particles can be detected via their influence on the electron´s electric dipole moment (eEDM), which can be probed by electron spin precession in a huge intra-molecular electric field. Previous eEDM measurements with relatively warm molecules are limited by spin coherence and interogation time.

Here I propose to measure the eEDM with ultracold molecular beams.

In the first two years, I will reduce the temperature in transverse directions using laser cooling to increase the molecule number in the forward direction and improve coherence, develop a new deceleration technique and reduce the forward velocity of the molecules to allow much longer interogation time in the measurement apparatus, and optimize the experimental system.

In the last year I will measure the eEDM 10 or 100 times more precisely than the state-of-the-art level and discuss the result with the theory group in Stockholm.

This result will be a search for the new particles responsible for matter-antimatter asymmetry and a test of new physics beyond the Standard Model up to a few 100 TeV.

This energy range extends far beyond the kinematic reach of any existing and near-future particle colliders and lies around the favoured mass range of many supersymmetric models.