Progress Towards Measurement of the Permanent Electric Dipole Moment of the Electron Using Lead Monofluoride Molecule

Poopalasingam Sivakumar

Abstract: The search for a permanent electric dipole moment of the electron (eEDM) was initiated half a century ago by the suggestion of Purcell and Ramsey to test for parity non-conservation. The existence of a non-zero eEDM violates both time and parity conservatio. Although the standard model predicts an eEDM far too small to detect, Supersymmetric models predict a value for the eEDM in a range measurable using existing experimental techniques. The lead monofluoride molecule has many features that may prove to be advantageous to a measurement of the eEDM. Among these features are its insensitivity to background magnetic fields and a large internal electric field. An understanding of the ground state electronic structure of PbF is critical to realization of an experimental measurement. The serendipitous discovery of a reaction of capor Pb and MgF2 which yields PbF has enabled us to build a reliable, continuous molecular beam source. We have developed a continuous, doubly resonant ionization scheme for rotational-state-sensitive detection of the ground state of PbF. Here we present our progress towards measurement of the eEDM.