Search for anisotropic effects of hcp solid helium on optical lines of cesium impurities

Mathieu Melich (1) , Jacques Dupont-Roc (1) , Philippe Jacquier (1)

1 LKB (Lhomond) - Laboratoire Kastler Brossel

The anisotropic effect of a hcp 4He solid matrix on cesium atoms has been proposed as a tool to reveal the parity violating anapole moment of its nucleus. It should also result in splitting the D2 optical excitation line in a way depending on the light polarization. An experimental investigation has been set up using oriented hcp helium crystals in which cesium metal grains are embedded. Atoms are created by laser sputtering from this grains. Optical absorption spectra of the D2 line have been recorded in the temperature range of 1.0 to 1.4 K at liquid/solid coexistence pressure by monitoring the fluorescence on the D2 line at 950 nm. No significant effect of the light polarization has been found, suggesting a statistically isotropic disordered solid environment for the cesium atoms.

Mots clés: quantum solids; hcp solid helium; atomic impurities; optical spectroscopy; disorder

Domaines: Physique Quantique [quant-ph]; Physique Atomique [physics.atom-ph]; Autre [cond-mat.other]

Mathieu Melich, Jacques Dupont-Roc, Philippe Jacquier. Search for anisotropic effects of hcp solid helium on optical lines of cesium impurities. Journal of Low Temperature Physics, 2008, 150 (3-4), pp.301. ⟨10.1007/s10909-007-9549-9⟩. ⟨hal-00185927⟩