Abstract
The FAMU experiment aims to measure for the first time the hyperfine splitting of the muonic hydrogen ground state. From this measurement the proton Zemach radius can be derived and this will shed light on the determination of the proton charge radius. In this paper, we describe the scientific goal, the method and the detailed preparatory work. This includes the outcome of preliminary measurements, subsequent refined simulations and the evaluation of the expected results. The experimental setup being built for the measurement of the hyperfine splitting to be performed at the RAL laboratory muon facility is also described.
Highlights
Muonic hydrogen allows high-precision spectroscopy studies of the fundamental interactions of the proton and its structure
The FAMU experiment aims to measure for the first time the hyperfine splitting of the muonic hydrogen ground state
The typical binding energies and distances in the muonic hydrogen atom are rescaled by the ratio of their reduced masses f = m pμ/m pe = 185.83
Summary
Muonic hydrogen allows high-precision spectroscopy studies of the fundamental interactions of the proton and its structure. To measure the hyperfine splitting (hfs) in the ground state of muonic hydrogen ΔEhfs(μ− p)1S with a relative accuracy better than 10−5, an intense, pulsed, low-energy, negative muon beam and an appropriate mid-infrared laser source are required [5,6,7]. – the exceptional precision of 10−12 of the experimental value of ΔEhfs in hydrogen [9] makes it sensitive, in addition to QED corrections, to the contribution from the proton finite size and proton polarizability. They cannot be extracted at the same time from a single experiment.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
