1
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Loetzsch R, Beyer HF, Duval L, Spillmann U, Banaś D, Dergham P, Kröger FM, Glorius J, Grisenti RE, Guerra M, Gumberidze A, Heß R, Hillenbrand PM, Indelicato P, Jagodzinski P, Lamour E, Lorentz B, Litvinov S, Litvinov YA, Machado J, Paul N, Paulus GG, Petridis N, Santos JP, Scheidel M, Sidhu RS, Steck M, Steydli S, Szary K, Trotsenko S, Uschmann I, Weber G, Stöhlker T, Trassinelli M. Testing quantum electrodynamics in extreme fields using helium-like uranium. Nature 2024; 625:673-678. [PMID: 38267680 PMCID: PMC10808054 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06910-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Quantum electrodynamics (QED), the quantum field theory that describes the interaction between light and matter, is commonly regarded as the best-tested quantum theory in modern physics. However, this claim is mostly based on extremely precise studies performed in the domain of relatively low field strengths and light atoms and ions1-6. In the realm of very strong electromagnetic fields such as in the heaviest highly charged ions (with nuclear charge Z ≫ 1), QED calculations enter a qualitatively different, non-perturbative regime. Yet, the corresponding experimental studies are very challenging, and theoretical predictions are only partially tested. Here we present an experiment sensitive to higher-order QED effects and electron-electron interactions in the high-Z regime. This is achieved by using a multi-reference method based on Doppler-tuned X-ray emission from stored relativistic uranium ions with different charge states. The energy of the 1s1/22p3/2 J = 2 → 1s1/22s1/2 J = 1 intrashell transition in the heaviest two-electron ion (U90+) is obtained with an accuracy of 37 ppm. Furthermore, a comparison of uranium ions with different numbers of bound electrons enables us to disentangle and to test separately the one-electron higher-order QED effects and the bound electron-electron interaction terms without the uncertainty related to the nuclear radius. Moreover, our experimental result can discriminate between several state-of-the-art theoretical approaches and provides an important benchmark for calculations in the strong-field domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Loetzsch
- Institut für Optik und Quantenelektronik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität, Jena, Germany.
| | - H F Beyer
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - L Duval
- Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, Sorbonne Université, ENS-PSL Research University, Collège de France, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - U Spillmann
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - D Banaś
- Institute of Physics, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
| | - P Dergham
- Institut des NanoSciences de Paris, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - F M Kröger
- Institut für Optik und Quantenelektronik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität, Jena, Germany
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
- Helmholtz-Institut Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - J Glorius
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - R E Grisenti
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - M Guerra
- Laboratory of Instrumentation, Biomedical Engineering and Radiation Physics (LIBPhys-UNL), Department of Physics, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
| | - A Gumberidze
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - R Heß
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - P-M Hillenbrand
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
- I. Physikalisches Institut, Justus-Liebig-Universität, Giessen, Germany
| | - P Indelicato
- Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, Sorbonne Université, ENS-PSL Research University, Collège de France, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - P Jagodzinski
- Institute of Physics, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
| | - E Lamour
- Institut des NanoSciences de Paris, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - B Lorentz
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - S Litvinov
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Yu A Litvinov
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - J Machado
- Laboratory of Instrumentation, Biomedical Engineering and Radiation Physics (LIBPhys-UNL), Department of Physics, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
| | - N Paul
- Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, Sorbonne Université, ENS-PSL Research University, Collège de France, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - G G Paulus
- Institut für Optik und Quantenelektronik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität, Jena, Germany
- Helmholtz-Institut Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - N Petridis
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
- Institut für Kernphysik, Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - J P Santos
- Laboratory of Instrumentation, Biomedical Engineering and Radiation Physics (LIBPhys-UNL), Department of Physics, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
| | - M Scheidel
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - R S Sidhu
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
- School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - M Steck
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - S Steydli
- Institut des NanoSciences de Paris, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - K Szary
- Institute of Physics, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
| | - S Trotsenko
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
- Helmholtz-Institut Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - I Uschmann
- Institut für Optik und Quantenelektronik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität, Jena, Germany
| | - G Weber
- Helmholtz-Institut Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Th Stöhlker
- Institut für Optik und Quantenelektronik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität, Jena, Germany
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
- Helmholtz-Institut Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - M Trassinelli
- Institut des NanoSciences de Paris, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.
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2
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Heiße F, Door M, Sailer T, Filianin P, Herkenhoff J, König CM, Kromer K, Lange D, Morgner J, Rischka A, Schweiger C, Tu B, Novikov YN, Eliseev S, Sturm S, Blaum K. High-Precision Determination of g Factors and Masses of ^{20}Ne^{9+} and ^{22}Ne^{9+}. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2023; 131:253002. [PMID: 38181339 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.131.253002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
We present the measurements of individual bound electron g factors of ^{20}Ne^{9+} and ^{22}Ne^{9+} on the relative level of 0.1 parts per billion. The comparison with theory represents the most stringent test of bound-state QED in strong electric fields. A dedicated mass measurement results in m(^{20}Ne)=19.992 440 168 77(9) u, which improves the current literature value by a factor of 18, disagrees by 4 standard deviations, and represents the most precisely measured mass value in atomic mass units. Together, these measurements yield an electron mass on the relative level of 0.1 ppb with m_{e}=5.485 799 090 99(59)×10^{-4} u as well as a factor of seven improved m(^{22}Ne)=21.991 385 098 2(26) u.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Heiße
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - M Door
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - T Sailer
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - P Filianin
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - J Herkenhoff
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - C M König
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - K Kromer
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - D Lange
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - J Morgner
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - A Rischka
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ch Schweiger
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - B Tu
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Y N Novikov
- Kurchatov Institute-PNPI, 188300 Gatchina, Russia
- Saint Petersburg State University, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - S Eliseev
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - S Sturm
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - K Blaum
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
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Morgner J, Tu B, König CM, Sailer T, Heiße F, Bekker H, Sikora B, Lyu C, Yerokhin VA, Harman Z, Crespo López-Urrutia JR, Keitel CH, Sturm S, Blaum K. Stringent test of QED with hydrogen-like tin. Nature 2023; 622:53-57. [PMID: 37794267 PMCID: PMC10550826 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06453-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Inner-shell electrons naturally sense the electric field close to the nucleus, which can reach extreme values beyond 1015 V cm-1 for the innermost electrons1. Especially in few-electron, highly charged ions, the interaction with the electromagnetic fields can be accurately calculated within quantum electrodynamics (QED), rendering these ions good candidates to test the validity of QED in strong fields. Consequently, their Lamb shifts were intensively studied in the past several decades2,3. Another approach is the measurement of gyromagnetic factors (g factors) in highly charged ions4-7. However, so far, either experimental accuracy or small field strength in low-Z ions5,6 limited the stringency of these QED tests. Here we report on our high-precision, high-field test of QED in hydrogen-like 118Sn49+. The highly charged ions were produced with the Heidelberg electron beam ion trap (EBIT)8 and injected into the ALPHATRAP Penning-trap setup9, in which the bound-electron g factor was measured with a precision of 0.5 parts per billion (ppb). For comparison, we present state-of-the-art theory calculations, which together test the underlying QED to about 0.012%, yielding a stringent test in the strong-field regime. With this measurement, we challenge the best tests by means of the Lamb shift and, with anticipated advances in the g-factor theory, surpass them by more than an order of magnitude.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Morgner
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - B Tu
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - C M König
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - T Sailer
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - F Heiße
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - H Bekker
- Helmholtz-Institut Mainz, GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Mainz, Germany
| | - B Sikora
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - C Lyu
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - V A Yerokhin
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Z Harman
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - C H Keitel
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - S Sturm
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - K Blaum
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany
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4
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Sasidharan S, Bezrodnova O, Rau S, Quint W, Sturm S, Blaum K. Penning-Trap Mass Measurement of Helium-4. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2023; 131:093201. [PMID: 37721828 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.131.093201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Light-ion trap (LIONTRAP), a high-precision Penning-trap mass spectrometer, was used to determine the atomic mass of ^{4}He. Here, we report a 12 parts-per-trillion measurement of the mass of a ^{4}He^{2+} ion, m(^{4}He^{2+})=4.001 506 179 651(48) u. From this, the atomic mass of the neutral atom can be determined without loss of precision: m(^{4}He)=4.002 603 254 653(48) u. This result is slightly more precise than the current CODATA18 literature value but deviates by 6.6 standard deviations.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Sasidharan
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Planckstraße 1, 64291 Darmstadt, Germany
- Heidelberg University, Grabengasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - O Bezrodnova
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - S Rau
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - W Quint
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Planckstraße 1, 64291 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - S Sturm
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - K Blaum
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
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