Axion-mediated electron-electron interaction in ytterbium monohydroxide molecule

Area of Science:

• * Fundamental Physics
• * Molecular Spectroscopy
• * Particle Physics

Background:

• * The Ytterbium hydroxide (YbOH) molecule is a promising system for detecting violations of fundamental symmetries.
• * Previous research highlighted YbOH's utility in measuring electron electric dipole moments, probing time-reversal (T) and spatial parity (P) symmetry violation.
• * New theoretical mechanisms for T, P-violation in YbOH require investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To investigate the electron-electron interaction mediated by axionlike particles in the YbOH molecule as a probe of T, P-violation.
• * To calculate the relevant molecular constant characterizing this interaction.
• * To estimate the experimental sensitivity for constraining electron-axion coupling constants.

Main Methods:

• * Theoretical calculation of the molecular constant for the axion-mediated electron-electron interaction in YbOH.
• * Comparison of this constant with that for axion-mediated electron-nucleus interactions.
• * Estimation of the potential for updated laboratory constraints on CP-violating electron-axion coupling.

Main Results:

• * The molecular constant for the electron-electron interaction mediated by axionlike particles was calculated.
• * This constant was found to be of the same order of magnitude as the constant for axion-mediated electron-nucleus interactions.
• * The YbOH molecule is shown to be a viable system for constraining electron-axion coupling.

Conclusions:

• * The YbOH molecule offers a sensitive probe for T, P-violating electron-electron interactions mediated by axions.
• * Experimental measurements using YbOH can provide updated laboratory constraints on CP-violating electron-axion coupling constants.
• * This research opens new avenues for exploring fundamental physics beyond the Standard Model using molecular systems.