Ultracold High-Spin Σ-State Polar Molecules for New Physics Searches

Abstract

We propose high-spin Σ-state polar molecules assembled from ultracold atoms to probe charge-parity-violating physics beyond the standard model. We identify YbCr as a prime candidate to search for the electric dipole moment of the electron. We show that the combination of relativistic ytterbium and high-spin chromium, amenable to magnetoassociation, leads to molecules with easy-to-polarize parity doublets and large intramolecular electric fields. Based on ab initio results for molecular constants, we predict a sensitivity of δde=(6×10-31/√nday) e cm via standard spin-precession measurements, assess the experimental feasibility, and discuss potential extensions to more advanced quantum control as well as searches of the nuclear magnetic quadrupole moment. This work paves the way to next-generation searches for new physics with ultracold molecules in both the leptonic and hadronic sectors.