A test of special relativity with stored lithium ions

• DOI: 10.1007/bf01081163
• Publication Date: 2005-02-02T10:38:29Z
• Authors: R. Grieser; R. Klein; G. Huber; S. Dickopf; I. Klaft; P. Knobloch; P. Merz; F. Albrecht; M. Grieser; D. Habs; D. Schwalm; T. K�hl
• Keywords: Saturation (graph theory)

Laser spectroscopy at the heavy ion storage ring TSR in Heidelberg allows for precision experiments testing the limits of the special theory of relativity. With an opticalΛ-type three-level system of7Li+ the Doppler shift has been measured by saturation spectroscopy as a test of the time dilatation factor γ = (1 −β2)−1/2 at an ion velocity ofυ = 6.4% c. A precision ofΔν/ν < 9 × 10−9 has been obtained, which sets a second-order limit of 1.1 × 10−6 for any deviation from the time dilatation factor. The fourth-order limit of this deviation is set below 2.7 × 10−4 by the present experiment. These limits are given at a 1 σ confidence level.