On the sensitivity of condensed-matter P- and T-violation experiments

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the fundamental sensitivity limits of condensed-matter experiments designed to detect P- and T-violation effects via induced magnetization, highlighting how spin fluctuations constrain measurement precision.

Contribution

It derives the scaling laws of statistical sensitivity limits based on spin number and relaxation time, applying these insights to nuclear Schiff moment experiments in ferroelectrics.

Findings

Sensitivity limited by spin fluctuations

Scaling law with number of spins and relaxation time

Application to nuclear Schiff moment detection

Abstract

Experiments searching for parity- and time-reversal-invariance-violating effects that rely on measuring magnetization of a condensed-matter sample induced by application of an electric field are considered. A limit on statistical sensitivity arises due to random fluctuations of the spins in the sample. The scaling of this limit with the number of spins and their relaxation time is derived. Application to an experiment searching for nuclear Schiff moment in a ferroelectric is discussed.