Abstract
A detailed account is given of observations of parity nonconservation in the transition in . Absorption of circularly polarized 293-nm photons by atoms in an field results in polarization of the state through interference of the Stark amplitude with and parity-nonconserving amplitudes. This polarization is detected by selective excitation of components of the state to the state and observation of the ensuing decay fluorescence at 323 nm. Systematic corrections due to imperfect circular polarization, misaligned fields, and residual magnetic fields are determined precisely by a series of auxiliary experiments. The result is expressed in terms of the circular dichroism , to be compared with estimates based on the Weinberg-Salam model for .
- Received 26 January 1981
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.24.1134
©1981 American Physical Society