Practicing the Poor Man's Brand of Particle Physics

Abstract

This article describes various small-scale experiments that are being conducted to detect atomic dipoles. These experiments are designed expressly to test one prediction of supersymmetry - that of an electric dipole in atoms of less than 10[sup [minus]27] cm. The researchers can presently detect an offset of less than 10[sup [minus]26] cm between an atom's positive and negative charge. Three groups are measuring the precession of atoms exposed to electric fields. They are studying atoms of cesium and mercury, and molecules of thallium fluoride.