New limit on Lorentz and CPT-violating neutron spin interactions

TL;DR

This study sets a new, more stringent limit on Lorentz and CPT violation in neutron spin interactions by using a highly sensitive co-magnetometer, improving previous bounds by a factor of 30.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel experimental approach with a co-magnetometer on a rotary platform to significantly enhance sensitivity to neutron spin couplings to Lorentz-violating fields.

Findings

Established new upper bounds on neutron background fields, $ ilde{b}^n_X$ and $ ilde{b}^n_Y$.

Achieved the highest energy resolution in spin anisotropy experiments.

Improved previous limits on Lorentz and CPT violation by a factor of 30.

Abstract

We performed a search for neutron spin coupling to a Lorentz and CPT-violating background field using a magnetometer with overlapping ensembles of K and $^3$He atoms. The co-magnetometer is mounted on a rotary platform for frequent reversal of its orientation. We measure sidereal oscillations in the signal to search for anomalous spin coupling of extra-solar origin. We determine the equatorial components of the background field interacting with the neutron spin to be $\widetilde{b}^n_X = (0.1 \pm 1.6) \times 10^{-33}$ GeV and $\widetilde{b}^n_Y = (2.5 \pm 1.6) \times 10^{-33}$ GeV, improving on the previous limit by a factor of 30. This measurement represents the highest energy resolution of any spin anisotropy experiment.