Improved Limits for Violations of Local Position Invariance from Atomic Clock Comparisons

verfasst von

R. Lange, N. Huntemann, J. M. Rahm, C. Sanner, H. Shao, B. Lipphardt, Chr Tamm, S. Weyers, E. Peik

Abstract

We compare two optical clocks based on the S21/2(F=0)→D23/2(F=2) electric quadrupole (E2) and the S21/2(F=0)→F27/2(F=3) electric octupole (E3) transition of Yb171+ and measure the frequency ratio νE3/νE2=0.932829404530965376(32), improving upon previous measurements by an order of magnitude. Using two caesium fountain clocks, we find νE3=642121496772645.10(8) Hz, the most accurate determination of an optical transition frequency to date. Repeated measurements of both quantities over several years are analyzed for potential violations of local position invariance. We improve by factors of about 20 and 2 the limits for fractional temporal variations of the fine structure constant α to 1.0(1.1)×10-18/yr and of the proton-to-electron mass ratio μ to -8(36)×10-18/yr. Using the annual variation of the Sun's gravitational potential at Earth φ, we improve limits for a potential coupling of both constants to gravity, (c2/α)(dα/dφ)=14(11)×10-9 and (c2/μ)(dμ/dφ)=7(45)×10-8.

Externe Organisation(en)

Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)

Typ

Artikel

Journal

Physical review letters

Band

126

ISSN

0031-9007

Publikationsdatum

06.01.2021

Publikationsstatus

Veröffentlicht

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Physik und Astronomie (insg.)

Elektronische Version(en)

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.011102 (Zugang: Offen)