https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2009-00179-4
Parity violation in hydrogen and longitudinal atomic beam spin echo I
1
Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Heidelberg, Philosophenweg 16, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
2
Physikalisches Institut, Universität Heidelberg, Philosophenweg 12, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Corresponding authors: a timo.bergmann@web.de - b maarten@physi.uni-heidelberg.de - c t.gasenzer@thphys.uni-heidelberg.de - d o.nachtmann@thphys.uni-heidelberg.de - e m.trappe@thphys.uni-heidelberg.de
Received:
2
December
2008
Published online:
23
June
2009
We discuss the propagation of hydrogen atoms in static electric and magnetic fields in a longitudinal atomic beam spin echo (lABSE) apparatus. There the atoms acquire geometric (Berry) phases that exhibit a new manifestation of parity-(P-)violation in atomic physics. We provide analytical as well as numerical calculations of the behaviour of the metastable 2S states of hydrogen. The conditions for electromagnetic field configurations that allow for adiabatic evolution of the relevant atomic states are investigated. Our results provide the theoretical basis for the discussion of possible measurements of P-violating geometric phases in lABSE experiments.
PACS: 03.65.Vf – Phases: geometric; dynamic or topological / 11.30.Er – Charge conjugation, parity, time reversal, and other discrete symmetries / 31.70.Hq – Time-dependent phenomena: excitation and relaxation processes, and reaction rates / 32.80.Ys – Weak-interaction effects in atoms
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2009
