Measurement scheme and analysis for weak ground state hyperfine transition moments through two-pathway coherent control

Abstract

We report our detailed analysis of a table-top system for the measurement of the weak-force-induced electric dipole moment of a ground state hyperfine transition carried out in an atomic beam geometry. We describe an experimental configuration of conductors for application of orthogonal r.f. and static electric fields, with cavity enhancement of the r.f. field amplitude, that allows confinement of the r.f. field to a region in which the static fields are uniform and well-characterized. We carry out detailed numerical simulations of the field modes, and analyze the expected magnitude of statistical and systematic limits to the measurement of this transition amplitude in atomic cesium. The combination of an atomic beam with this configuration leads to strong suppression of magnetic dipole contributions to the atomic signal. The application of this technique to the measurement of extremely weak transition amplitudes in other atomic systems, especially alkali metals, seems very feasible.