Measuring the Fr weak nuclear charge by observing a linear stark shift with small atomic samples.
We study the chirality of ground-state alkali atoms in E and B fields, dressed with a circularly-polarized beam near-detuned ( less, similar1 GHz) from an E-field-assisted forbidden transition such as 7S-8S in Fr. We predict parity violating energy shifts of their sublevels, linear in E and the weak nuclear charge Q_(W). A dressing beam of 10 kW/cm(2) at 506 nm produces a shift of approximately 100 microHz at E=100 V/cm, B greater, similar50 mG which should be observable with approximately 10(4) Fr atoms confined in an optical dipole trap. We discuss optimal conditions, parameter reversals, and a calibration procedure to measure Q_(W)
Bouchiat
Marie-Anne
MA
Département de Physique de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, F-75231 Paris Cedex 05, France.