JILA physicists have made the first direct observation of spin symmetry in atoms, a key prediction of quantum physics. The team, led by Ana Maria Rey and Jun Ye, used an atomic clock made of strontium atoms to detect the symmetry in the magnetic properties of the atoms’ nuclei.
Spin symmetry means that atom interactions, at their most basic level, are independent of their nuclear spin states. However, the nuclear spin still controls how atoms approach each other physically. This discovery could help researchers better understand exotic materials and phenomena like superconductivity and colossal magneto-resistance.
The JILA team used lasers and magnetic fields to manipulate the nuclear spins and observed that atoms with different nuclear spin states interacted with the same strength, while those with the same nuclear spin state interacted much more weakly. This research builds on previous JILA work on atomic clocks and could lead to new ways of controlling quantum interactions.
Keywords: Symmetry, Nuclear Spins, Atomic Clocks, Spin States, Quantum Dynamics
