Laboratory Search for a Long-RangeT-Odd,P-Odd Interaction from Axionlike Particles Using Dual-Species Nuclear Magnetic Resonance with PolarizedXe129andXe131Gas

Abstract

Various theories beyond the standard model predict new particles with masses in the sub-eV range with very weak couplings to ordinary matter. A new $P$-odd and $T$-odd interaction between polarized and unpolarized nucleons proportional to $\overrightarrow{K}·\overrightarrow{r}$ is one such possibility, where $\overrightarrow{r}$ is the distance between the nucleons and $\overrightarrow{K}$ is the spin of the polarized nucleon. Such an interaction involving a scalar coupling $g_s$ at one vertex and a pseudoscalar coupling $g_p$ at the polarized nucleon vertex can be induced by the exchange of spin-0 bosons. We used the NMR cell test station at Northrop Grumman Corporation to search for NMR frequency shifts in polarized ${}^{129}\mathrm{Xe}$ and ${}^{131}\mathrm{Xe}$ when a nonmagnetic zirconia rod is moved near the NMR cell. Long ($T_2\sim 20\mathrm{s}$) spin-relaxation times allow precision measurements of the NMR frequency ratios, which are insensitive to magnetic field fluctuations. Combined with existing theoretical calculations of the neutron spin contribution to the nuclear angular momentum in xenon nuclei, the measurements improve the laboratory upper bound on the product $g_s{g}_p^n$ by 2 orders of magnitude for distances near 1 mm. The sensitivity of this technique can be increased by at least two more orders of magnitude.