Using Molecules to Measure Nuclear Spin-Dependent Parity Violation

TL;DR

This paper proposes a molecular spectroscopy method to measure nuclear spin-dependent parity violation effects, which could provide new insights into weak interactions and nuclear properties across various nuclei.

Contribution

It introduces a Stark-interference technique using molecules to detect parity violation, applicable to many nuclei and aiding interpretation of weak interactions.

Findings

Method outlined for measuring parity violation in molecules.

Potential to determine nuclear anapole moments.

Applicable to a wide range of nuclei and molecular species.

Abstract

Nuclear spin-dependent parity violation arises from weak interactions between electrons and nucleons, and from nuclear anapole moments. We outline a method to measure such effects, using a Stark-interference technique to determine the mixing between opposite-parity rotational/hyperfine levels of ground-state molecules. The technique is applicable to nuclei over a wide range of atomic number, in diatomic species that are theoretically tractable for interpretation. This should provide data on anapole moments of many nuclei, and on previously unmeasured neutral weak couplings.