Stuttgart 2012 – scientific programme
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A: Fachverband Atomphysik
A 5: SAMOP Dissertation Prize Symposium
A 5.4: Invited Talk
Monday, March 12, 2012, 15:30–16:00, V47.01
First Spin-Flips Ever Observed with a Single Trapped Proton — •Stefan Ulmer1, 2, Cricia Rodegheri2, 3, Klaus Blaum2, 4, Holger Kracke3, Andreas Mooser3, Wolfgang Quint3, 5, and Jochen Walz3 — 1RIKEN Advanced Science Institue, Wako, Japan — 2Max-Planck Institute for Nuclear Research, Heidelberg, Germany — 3Johannes-Gutenberg Universität, Mainz, Germany — 4Ruprecht-Karls Universität, Heidelberg, Germany — 5GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany
Proton spin-flips were observed for the first time using a single isolated particle stored in a cryogenic Penning trap. The spin quantum jumps are detected via the continuous Stern-Gerlach effect. This experimental principle has already been applied to compare the magnetic moments of the electron and the positron, or to measure the g-factor of the electron bound to hydrogen-like ions. These experiments involved magnetic moments on the level of the Bohr-magneton. However, the magnetic moment of the proton is about three orders of magnitude smaller and spin-flips are much harder to detect. We demonstrated for the first time that spin quantum jumps of a single trapped proton can be detected, which is a major step towards a high-precision measurement of the particle’s magnetic moment at the level of 10−9 or better. Since the techniques developed for the proton can be directly transferred to the antiproton, this is a crucial milestone towards a million-fold improved test of matter-antimatter-symmetry on the baryon-sector.