Theoretical aspects of radium-containing molecules amenable to assembly from laser-cooled atoms for new physics searches

Abstract

We explore the possibilities for a next-generation electron-electric-dipole-moment experiment using ultracold heteronuclear diatomic molecules assembled from a combination of radium and another laser-coolable atom. In particular, we calculate their ground state structure and their sensitivity to parity- and time-reversal ( $\mathcal{P},\mathcal{T}$ ) violating physics arising from flavor-diagonal charge-parity ( $\mathcal{CP}$ ) violation. Among these species, the largest $\mathcal{P},\mathcal{T}$ -violating molecular interaction constants—associated for example with the electron electric dipole moment—are obtained for the combination of radium (Ra) and silver (Ag) atoms. A mechanism for explaining this finding is proposed. We go on to discuss the prospects for an electron EDM search using ultracold, assembled, optically trapped RaAg molecules, and argue that this system is particularly promising for rapid future progress in the search for new sources of $\mathcal{CP}$ violation.

Keywords

• electron electric dipole moment
• P, T symmetry violation
• relativistic electronic structure
• ultracold molecules
• laser-coolable atoms