This $763,868 federal Project Grant award, provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (CFDA 47.049) program, will support research on the development of a highly charged ion-based quantum-logic clock at Colorado State University.
The primary objective is to conduct high-precision, quantum-enabled laser spectroscopy experiments on trapped, highly charged ions to test fundamental physics at low energy. By leveraging the enhanced sensitivity of highly charged ions to possible time-variation of the fine-structure constant, the research team aims to develop an optical atomic clock with unprecedented precision. This work could lead to a 100-fold improvement in the current laboratory limit on the constancy of the fine-structure constant, potentially revealing new physics beyond the Standard Model. The project will also provide training for undergraduate and graduate students in related fields of experimental atomic, molecular, and optical physics.
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