An Optical Rotation Experiment to Search for Neutral Current Effects in Atomic Bismuth

Abstract

We discuss here the current status of an experiment1,2 at the University of Washington in which we are searching for a small parity non-conserving (PNC) effect in atoms. As first pointed out by Bouchiat and Bouchiat3, effects of measurable size are expected in heavy atoms if the neutral weak current interaction4–6 between electrons and nucleons has a PNC component. In our experiment, the effect of interest is an optical rotation associated with the 8755A magnetic-dipole absorption line in atomic bismuth vapor. Similar experiments have been proposed by Sandars7 and Khriplovich8, and one using the 6476A line in Bi is underway and is being reported at this conference.9