2008/01/31 by D. Hanneke, S. Fogwell, G. Gabrielse · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #physics.atom-ph #physics.gen-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.100.120801
published as Phys.Rev.Lett.100:120801,2008 · 4 pages, 4 figures
arxiv created 2010/03/12 · arxiv updated 2015/03/13
A measurement using a one-electron quantum cyclotron gives the electron magnetic moment in Bohr magnetons, g/2 = 1.001 159 652 180 73 (28) [0.28 ppt], with an uncertainty 2.7 and 15 times smaller than for previous measurements in 2006 and 1987. The electron is used as a magnetometer to allow lineshape statistics to accumulate, and its spontaneous emission rate determines the correction for its interaction with a cylindrical trap cavity. The new measurement and QED theory determine the fine structure constant, with alpha-1 = 137.035 999 084 (51) [0.37 ppb], and an uncertainty 20 times smaller than for any independent determination of alpha.