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  • Status of the muonic hydrog...
    Nebel, T; Amaro, F D; Antognini, A; Biraben, F; Cardoso, J MR; Conde, C AN; Dax, A; Dhawan, S; Fernandes, L MP; Giesen, A; Hänsch, T W; Indelicato, P; Julien, L; Knowles, P E; Kottmann, F; Le Bigot, E; Liu, Y -W; Lopes, J AM; Ludhova, L; Monteiro, C MB; Mulhauser, F; Nez, F; Pohl, R; Rabinowitz, P; dos Santos, J MF; Schaller, L A; Schuhmann, K; Schwob, C; Taqqu, D; Veloso, JF CA

    Canadian journal of physics, 05/2007, Letnik: 85, Številka: 5
    Journal Article

    The Lamb-shift experiment in muonic hydrogen (μ - p) aims to measure the energy difference between the atomic levels to a precision of 30 ppm. This would allow the r.m.s. proton charge radius r p to be deduced to a precision of 10 -3 and open a way to check bound-state quantum electrodynamics (QED) to a level of 10 -7 . The poor knowledge of the proton charge radius restricts tests of bound-state QED to the precision level of about 6 × 10 -6 , although the experimental data themselves (Lamb-shift in hydrogen) have reached a precision of  × 10 -6 . Values for r p not depending on bound-state QED results from electron scattering experiments have a surprisingly large uncertainty of 2%. In our Lamb-shift experiment, low-energy negative muons are stopped in low-density hydrogen gas, where, following the μ - atomic capture and cascade, 1% of the muonic hydrogen atoms form the metastable 2S state with a lifetime of about 1 μs. A laser pulse at λ ≈ 6 μm is used to drive the 2S → 2P transition. Following the laser excitation, we observe the 1.9 keV X-ray being emitted during the subsequent de-excitation to the 1S state using large-area avalanche photodiodes. The resonance frequency and, hence, the Lamb shift and the proton charge radius are determined by measuring the intensity of the X-ray fluorescence as a function of the laser wavelength. The results of the run in December 2003 were negative but, nevertheless, promising. One by-product of the 2003 run was the first observation of the short-lived 2S component in muonic hydrogen. Currently, improvements in the laser-system, the experimental apparatus, and the data acquisition are being implemented. PACS Nos.: 36.10.Dr, 14.20.Dh, 42.62.Fi