The FRIB-EDM³ Instrument: A Tool For Creating And Spectroscopically Studying Radioactive Molecules For Tests Of Fundamental Symmetries

The Baryon Asymmetry of the Universe (BAU) is not sufficiently explained by the Standard Model, and requires Beyond Standard Model (BSM) extensions to account for the discrepancy between the observed and predicted BAU. New sources of combined charge-parity (CP) symmetry violation could account for this discrepancy. Permanent Electric Dipole Moments (EDMs) are a signature of time-reversal (T) violation and by the CPT theorem, are also a signature of CP violation that can be used to directly search for BSM physics. In hadronic systems, heavily deformed pear-shaped nuclei are expected to have enhanced sensitivity to T violations, resulting in a more pronounced EDM. These pear-shaped nuclei can also be used to form molecules, providing enhancements to statistical and systematic sensitivity. Further enhancements can be provided by using matrix isolation to trap the molecules in a noble gas matrix, offering high statistics and control of systematic effects.

We aim to use rare isotopes to efficiently form polar molecules and embed them in a noble gas matrix, utilizing the FRIB-EDM³ Instrument. The design of the instrument is split into two parts – a frontend and backend. The frontend will produce molecular ions using electrospray ionization, then concentrate them into an ion beam using electrodynamic ion funnels. The resulting beam will be filtered using a quadrupole mass filter, and separated from line of sight neutrals with an electrostatic bender. Here, we report on the design of the frontend, and discuss the current construction and testing status of it.