Mercury monohalides: suitability for electron electric dipole moment searches

Relativistic Exact Two-Component Coupled-Cluster Study of Molecular Sensitivity Factors for Nuclear Schiff Moments

Relativistic exact two-component coupled-cluster calculations of molecular sensitivity factors for nuclear Schiff moments (NSMs) are reported. We focus on molecules containing heavy nuclei, especially octupole-deformed nuclei. Analytic relativistic coupled-cluster gradient techniques are used and serve as useful tools for identifying candidate molecules that sensitively probe for physics beyond the Standard Model in the hadronic sector. Notably, these tools enable straightforward "black-box" calculations. Two competing chemical mechanisms that contribute to the NSM are analyzed, illuminating the physics of ligand effects on NSM sensitivity factors.

Opportunities for fundamental physics research with radioactive molecules

Molecules containing short-lived, radioactive nuclei are uniquely positioned to enable a wide range of scientific discoveries in the areas of fundamental symmetries, astrophysics, nuclear structure, and chemistry. Recent advances in the ability to create, cool, and control complex molecules down to the quantum level, along with recent and upcoming advances in radioactive species production at several facilities around the world, create a compelling opportunity to coordinate and combine these efforts to bring precision measurement and control to molecules containing extreme nuclei. In this manuscript, we review the scientific case for studying radioactive molecules, discuss recent atomic, molecular, nuclear, astrophysical, and chemical advances which provide the foundation for their study, describe the facilities where these species are and will be produced, and provide an outlook for the future of this nascent field.

High resolution spectroscopic measurement of 130Te2: Reference lines near 444.4 nm for eEDM experiment using PbF molecules

Molecular tellurium (Te₂) offers a wide range of potential applications, including frequency reference. Spectroscopic results about the ¹³⁰Te₂ spectrum were previously reported, but few lines lie around the PbF transition of A (²Σ⁺) (υ' = 0) ← X₁²Π_1/2 (υ = 0) (∼444.4 nm) which is regarded as an eEDM (electron's Electric Dipole Moment) sensitive transition. Here electronic transition lines for ¹³⁰Te₂ were determined using the Saturated Absorption Spectroscopy method, where the origin of the transition band was investigated for the B₁ (³Σ_u^-)0_u⁺ (υ' = 10) ← X₁ (³Σ_g^-)0_g⁺ (υ = 5) transition. The Dunham model with high orders was utilized to assign these transition lines, while Dunham parameters of the excited state B₁ (υ' = 10) were updated to a new level. The Toptica TA-SHG Pro laser was then locked to a single absorption line using a P-I servo. Our results here not only provide the assigned atlas of Te₂ spectrum near 444.4 nm, but also contribute to a stable and sensitive spectroscopic detection of PbF molecules toward the eEDM measurement, which is significant in understanding the fundamental physics beyond the Standard Model.

Study of HgOH to Assess Its Suitability for Electron Electric Dipole Moment Searches

In search of suitable molecular candidates for probing the electric dipole moment (EDM) of the electron (de), a property that arises due to parity and time-reversal violating (P,T-odd) interactions, we consider the triatomic mercury hydroxide (HgOH) molecule. The impetus for this proposal is based on previous works on two systems: the recently proposed ytterbium hydroxide (YbOH) experiment that demonstrates the advantages of polyatomics for such EDM searches, and the finding that mercury halides provide the highest enhancement due to de compared to other diatomic molecules. We identify the ground state of HgOH as being in a bent geometry, and show that its intrinsic EDM sensitivity is comparable to the corresponding value for YbOH. Along with the theoretical results, we discuss plausible experimental schemes for an EDM measurement in HgOH. Furthermore, we provide pilot calculations of the EDM sensitivity for de for HgCH3 and HgCF3, that are natural extensions of HgOH.

Significance of Non-Linear Terms in the Relativistic Coupled-Cluster Theory in the Determination of Molecular Properties

The relativistic coupled-cluster (RCC) theory has been applied recently to a number of heavy molecules to determine their properties very accurately. Since it demands large computational resources, the method is often approximated to single and double excitations (RCCSD method). The effective electric fields ( E e f f ) and molecular permanent electric dipole moments (PDMs) of SrF, BaF, and mercury monohalides (HgX with X = F, Cl, Br, and I) molecules are of immense interest for probing fundamental physics. In our earlier calculations of E e f f and PDMs for the above molecules, we neglected the non-linear terms in the property evaluation expression of the RCCSD method. In this work, we demonstrate the roles of these terms in determining the above quantities and their computational time scalability with the number of processors of a computer. We also compare our results with previous calculations that employed variants of RCC theory, as well as other many-body methods and available experimental values.

The Role of Relativistic Many-Body Theory in Electron Electric Dipole Moment Searches Using Cold Molecules

In this review article, we survey some of our results pertaining to the search for the electric dipole moment of the electron (eEDM), using heavy polar molecules. In particular, we focus on the relativistic coupled cluster method (RCCM) and its applications to eEDM searches in YbF, HgX (X = F, Cl, Br, and I), BaF, HgA (A = Li, Na, and K), and YbOH. Our results are presented in a systematic manner, by first introducing the eEDM and its measurement using molecules, the importance of relativistic many-body theory, and finally our results, followed by future prospects.

Relativistic coupled-cluster investigation of parity (P) and time-reversal (T ) symmetry violations in HgF

We employ the Z-vector method in the four-component relativistic coupled-cluster framework to calculate the parity (P) and time-reversal (T ) symmetry violating scalar-pseudoscalar nucleus-electron interaction constant (W_s), the effective electric field (E_eff) experienced by the unpaired electron, and the nuclear magnetic quadrupole moment-electron interaction constant (W_M) in the open-shell ground electronic state of HgF. The molecular frame dipole moment and the magnetic hyperfine structure (HFS) constant of the molecule are also calculated at the same level of theory. The outcome of our study is that HgF has a high value of E_eff (115.9 GV/cm), W_s (266.4 kHz), and W_M (3.59 × 10³³ Hz/e cm²), which shows that it can be a possible candidate for the search of new physics beyond the standard model. Our results are in good agreement with the available literature values. Furthermore, we investigate the effect of the basis set and the virtual energy functions on the computed properties. The role of the high-energy virtual spinors is found to be significant in the calculation of the HFS constant and the P,T-odd interaction coefficients.

Relativistic Normal Coupled-Cluster Theory for Accurate Determination of Electric Dipole Moments of Atoms: First Application to the ^{199}Hg Atom

Recent relativistic coupled-cluster (RCC) calculations of electric dipole moments (EDMs) of diamagnetic atoms due to parity and time-reversal violating (P,T-odd) interactions, which are essential ingredients for probing new physics beyond the standard model of particle interactions, differ substantially from the previous theoretical results. It is therefore necessary to perform an independent test of the validity of these results. In view of this, the normal coupled-cluster method has been extended to the relativistic regime [relativistic normal coupled-cluster (RNCC) method] to calculate the EDMs of atoms by simultaneously incorporating the electrostatic and P,T-odd interactions in order to overcome the shortcomings of the ordinary RCC method. This new relativistic method has been applied to ^{199}Hg, which currently has a lower EDM limit than that of any other system. The results of our RNCC and self-consistent RCC calculations of the EDM of this atom are found to be close. The discrepancies between these two results on the one hand and those of previous calculations on the other are elucidated. Furthermore, the electric dipole polarizability of this atom, which has computational similarities with the EDM, is evaluated and it is in very good agreement with its measured value.

Fragmentation of mercury compounds under ultraviolet light irradiation

Ultraviolet light induced photofragmentation of mercury compounds is studied experimentally with electron energy resolved photoelectron-photoion coincidence techniques and theoretically with computational quantum chemical methods. A high resolution photoelectron spectrum using synchrotron radiation is presented. Fragmentation of the molecule is studied subsequent to ionization to the atomic-mercury-like d orbitals. State dependent fragmentation behaviour is presented and specific reactions for dissociation pathways are given. The fragmentation is found to differ distinctly in similar orbitals of different mercury compounds.