Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Spatial Separation of Molecular Conformers and Clusters
Published on: January 9, 2014
Electric-field-induced symmetry breaking of angular momentum distribution in atoms
Marcis Auzinsh1, Kaspars Blushs, Ruvin Ferber
1Department of Physics and Mathematics, University of Latvia, Rainis Blvd. 19, Riga LV-1586, Latvia. mauzins@latnet.lv
Abstract:
We report the experimental observation of alignment to orientation conversion in the 7D3/2 and 9D3/2 states of Cs in the presence of an external dc electric field and without the influence of magnetic fields or atomic collisions. Initial alignment of angular momentum states was created by two-step excitation with linearly polarized laser radiation. The appearance of transverse orientation of angular momentum was confirmed by the observation of circularly polarized light. We present experimentally measured signals and compare them with the results of a detailed theoretical model based on the optical Bloch equations. The effect is odd under time reversal and should be taken into account in ever more sensitive searches for an electron electric dipole moment.
More Related Videos
08:44Measurements of Long-range Electronic Correlations During Femtosecond Diffraction Experiments Performed on Nanocrystals of Buckminsterfullerene
Published on: August 22, 2017
09:06Visualizing Uniaxial-strain Manipulation of Antiferromagnetic Domains in Fe1+YTe Using a Spin-polarized Scanning Tunneling Microscope
Published on: March 24, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Magnetic Moment
Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Spin State Overview
Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Relaxation Processes
π Electron Effects on Chemical Shift: Overview
Induced Electric Dipoles
Since the absolute value of potential energy holds no physical meaning, its zero value can be chosen as per...
Symmetry in Maxwell's Equations