Scientists at JILA have developed a new method to measure the roundness of the electron using a gold-plated ion trap. The trap confines hafnium fluoride ions and allows researchers to rotate them while measuring their properties. This technique provides a more precise way to assess the electron’s electric dipole moment (eEDM), which could reveal new insights into fundamental physics and the earliest history of the universe.
The JILA method spins polar molecules with a positive and negative charge at each end, allowing them to be trapped and manipulated with electric fields. This technique offers several advantages over previous methods, including longer measurement times and the potential for more sensitive eEDM searches in the future. The work was supported by the Marsico Foundation, NIST, and the National Science Foundation.
Keywords: Electron, Dipole, Ions, Measuring, Rotating
