Isotope shift spectroscopy in mercury vapors: a valid alternative to ytterbium for new physics search

Abstract

Precision isotope shift metrology in the deep-UV region has been performed for all bosonic isotopes of mercury with a zero nuclear spin, by using the technique of frequency-comb referenced, wavelength-modulated, saturated absorption spectroscopy. The absolute center frequencies of the 6s$^2$ $^1$S$_0$ $\rightarrow$ 6s6p $^3$P$_1$ intercombination line have been measured with precision in the range of 2.5 - 5.9 10$^{-12}$, in temperature-stabilized mercury vapor samples with natural abundances. Frequency shifts in four isotope pairs have been determined with unprecedented accuracy, the global uncertainty being improved by a factor greater than 20 with respect to the best experimental data of the past literature. Our data set, when combined with previous measurements on the 6s6p $^3$P$_2$$\rightarrow$6s7s $^3$S$_1$ transition at 546 nm, allows us to build a King plot that reveals a nonlinearity with a statistical significance of 4.6$\sigma$.