From EDMs to the rotation of Earth: precision measurements in an interdisciplinary approach
Prof. Dr. Simon Stellmer (Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn)

Our quantum metrology research group has recently been established at the University of Bonn. The overarching goal of our various projects is the improvement of precision measurements in an interdisciplinary context. In my talk, I will present two of our projects.

In the first project, we address one of the most pressing fundamental questions in contemporary physics: Why does the Universe contain matter, but almost no antimatter? This matter-to-antimatter asymmetry is understood as massive CP violation, which in turn would show up as a permanent electric dipole moment (EDM) in fundamental particles. I will show how ultracold and even quantum-degenerate Fermi gases of mercury can be used to measure the neutron EDM with a sensitivity that might exceed state-of-the-art limits.

The second project is related to geodesy: the rotation of Earth is not as constant as it may seem. On the contrary, it is an amazingly sensitive probe of all kinds of phenomena, ranging from rotational coupling to other celestial objects all the way to mantle/crust coupling and the anthropogenic climate change. We have started to develop novel gyroscopes to measure, via the Sagnac effect, variations in the Earth rotation rate at an unprecedented sensitivity.