Speaker
Description
Our recent measurement of the 2S–6P transition frequency in atomic hydrogen [1] achieves a precision of 0.7 parts per trillion, enabling a Standard Model (SM) test at a level comparable to the electron anomalous magnetic moment (g−2) [2] and representing the most precise test to date of bound-state quantum electrodynamics (QED) to 0.5 parts per million. This poster presents our ongoing efforts to extend this precision to the 2S–6P transition in deuterium, highlighting key theoretical differences arising from nuclear effects. I further discuss the unique sensitivity of hydrogen and deuterium to weakly interacting keV-scale bosons [3,4], offering a unique new physics probe in this regime. Looking ahead, an upgrade our hydrogen apparatus is proposed to access circular Rydberg transitions in the terahertz (THz) domain [5]. With only a single, limited prior attempt for these transitions [6], our upgraded setup promises significant advantages, paving the way for further SM tests using sub-Hz laser-based THz spectroscopy.
[1] L. Maisenbacher, V. Wirthl et al., Nature 650 (2026)
[2] X. Fan et al., PRL 130 (2023)
[3] S. Karshenboim, PRL 104 (2010)
[4] R. Potvliege, PRA 108 (2023)
[5] U. Jentschura and D. Yost, PRA 108 (2023)
[6] J. De Vries, PhD thesis, MIT (2001)