| NSF Org: |
PHY Division Of Physics |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | May 22, 2013 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | April 17, 2017 |
| Award Number: | 1255170 |
| Award Instrument: | Continuing Grant |
| Program Manager: |
John D. Gillaspy
PHY Division Of Physics MPS Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences |
| Start Date: | June 1, 2013 |
| End Date: | May 31, 2019 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $600,000.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $600,000.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2014 = $110,000.00 FY 2015 = $110,000.00 FY 2016 = $110,000.00 FY 2017 = $110,000.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
155 S PLEASANT ST AMHERST MA US 01002-2234 (413)542-2804 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
Amherst MA US 01002-5000 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): |
AMO Experiment/Atomic, Molecul, PRECISION MEASUREMENTS |
| Primary Program Source: |
01001415DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01001516DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01001617DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01001718DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.049 |
ABSTRACT
This CAREER award will enable tests of fundamental physics through precise measurements of the properties of trapped charged particles. Many atoms, molecules, and sub-atomic particles have attributes that are of interest but impractical to measure using a particle in isolation. Often the isolated particle lacks suitable means for cooling or for preparing or detecting its quantum state. Techniques developed for trapped-ion quantum information processing have recently enabled the transfer of the practical tasks to a co-trapped atomic ion, using the interaction between two charged particles as an information bus and opening for investigation a wide range of charged particles. Experiments enabled by this award will focus on diatomic molecular ions, including the cooling of molecular rotation, the preparation of known internal states, and the precise determination of the energy differences between states. These measurements will be applied to searches for time-variation of the electron-to-proton mass ratio. While no known laws of physics allow for a change in this ratio, variation arises naturally in many theories seeking to merge quantum mechanics with gravity.
This work will integrate research and education through the mentoring of undergraduates at the forefront of research while developing an innovative physics curriculum at a liberal arts college. Undergraduate students will be introduced to active questions in the field and the experimental techniques being used to answer them. Many skills in experimental physics are transferable to a wide array of future endeavors. In addition, this award will allow for the development, implementation, and dissemination of a revised physics curriculum at Amherst College.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Physicists are trying to reconcile the quantum theory of the very small with the relativistic gravity theory of the very large. We also are searching for the nature of dark matter, whose effects we see on the scale of galaxies and larger, but should also be present right here. Several attempts to solve these puzzles predict that small particles like the proton or electron should get heavier or lighter over time. In some models, the change is slow ? a tiny part over millions of years. In other models, it is fast ? oscillating in a fraction of a second.
With this award, we have begun a search for these changes. Molecules are an ideal testing ground because they can vibrate like an object attached to a spring. In this case, the atoms in the molecule do the bouncing, and the chemical bond is the spring. Both protons and electrons move at the same time, so we are sensitive to changes in the mass of either. We have identified a good species for searching for mass variation in the singly ionized diatomic oxygen molecule O2+ (O2 like we breathe, but with an electron removed). We published two manuscripts laying out procedures and goals using this molecule.
We have built an apparatus that can trap these molecules so that we can study them for a long time. The apparatus also co-traps charged atoms, which we laser-cool to help refrigerate the molecules. We have developed new laser technology to do the cooling. We have also used lasers to selectively remove the electron from oxygen molecules, creating our desired O2+ molecule with just the right amount of vibration.
As part of this award, we have brought 21 undergraduates into the lab to work on these major scientific questions. We have instructed them in lab techniques, data handling and analysis, the responsible conduct of research, and methods of scientific communication. Eight of them have completed senior honors theses. Many have presented their work publicly with talks and posters both on-campus and at national conferences. One postdoctoral scholar has helped lead this project and has participated in the intellectual life of Amherst College.
The educational portion of this CAREER award allowed the Principal Investigator to collaborate with the department to revise the physics major curriculum. Our revision emphasized maintaining high-quality instruction while adding flexibility in the required coursework and a renewed emphasis on experimental work.
Last Modified: 09/27/2019
Modified by: David A Hanneke
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