Dave DeMille
University of Chicago, Department of Physics
Abstract: For decades, it had been expected that new fundamental particles, beyond those in the Standard Model, should exist with mass below ~1 TeV. Now, despite many types of experiments probing this scale, no clear evidence has emerged for their existence. This strongly motivates experiments that can detect new physics from well above the TeV scale. Such heavy particles can affect the properties of ordinary matter, through their virtual contributions to the quantum vacuum that modifies the apparent properties of electrons, quarks, etc. Changes to CP-violating (CPV) observables are especially well-motivated, since some new CPV interactions are required to explain the preponderance of matter over antimatter in the universe, and certain CPV effects are strongly suppressed in the Standard Model. Recently, methods to detect CP-violating electric dipole moments along the spins of electrons, protons, and nuclei have been advancing rapidly. Remarkably, experiments to detect these signals—though small enough to fit in a single room on a university campus—are already probing plausible theories of physics beyond the Standard Model at scales up to ~100 TeV—and new developments promise to probe into the PeV scale in the next 10-15 years. This talk will discuss some experiments of this type from the recent past, near future, and next decade.
Pre-seminar snacks will be offered in CoorsTek 140/150 from 3:30pm-4:00pm.