Electric Dipole Moments

by Prof. Peter Fierlinger (TU München)

Monday 20 Jan 2025, 14:30 → 15:30 Europe/Berlin

PH HS 3 (Physics Department)

The search for Electric Dipole Moments (EDMs) of fundamental systems is ongoing since the 1950’s: an EDM would be a manifestation of physics at very high energy scales, and would violate P and T symmetry. It has significant impact on our understanding of the early Universe, in particular the origin of matter-antimatter asymmetry. Key for measurements was the invention of Ramsey’s method of separated oscillating fields. It enabled unprecedented experimental sensitivities, e.g. 10^-44 J energy resolution in an experiment using the isotope 129-Xe. Many different systems like nucleons, atoms or leptons are experimentally accessible and complementary in their physics reach. Through relating results from different experiments using effective field theory with each other and also to measurements at higher energy, EDM searches are among the most powerful tools in particle physics. An overview with current status of joint analyses, as well as a selection of particularly interesting experimental strategies, approaches and techniques with emphasis on future potential will be given. I will also discuss selected spin-offs, e.g. searches for ultra-light Dark Matter and a biomagnetic sensing.