NEW EXPERIMENTAL LIMIT ON THE ELECTRON ELECTRIC-DIPOLE MOMENT

A search for the electron electric dipole moment de is carried out with two counterpropagating beams of ground-state Tl205. The experiment employs atomic-beam magnetic resonance with separated oscillatory fields combined with laser state selection and fluorescence detection. Extensive tests were made for possible systematic effects. The result for the atomic electric dipole moment is da=(1.6 ±5.0)×10-24 e cm, where the uncertainty includes equal statistical and systematic contributions. This yields de=(-2.7±8.3) ×10-27 e cm, assuming the ratio da/de=-600. © 1990 The American Physical Society.