Towards an Improved Measurement of the Radium-225 Electric Dipole Moment

Searches for permanent electric dipole moments (EDMs) in non-degenerate systems are sensitive probes of beyond-standard-model symmetry violation that could explain the dominance of matter over anti-matter. ²²⁵Ra (t_1/2=15 d, I=1/2) is a particularly attractive system to use for an EDM measurement because its octupole-deformed nucleus, closely spaced nuclear ground-state parity doublet, and highly relativistic electrons make ²²⁵Ra uniquely sensitive to symmetry-violating interactions in the nuclear medium. Previous measurements have limited the EDM of ²²⁵Ra to less than 1.4 × 10^-23 e cm (95% CL). We report progress toward implementing several experimental upgrades that will enable measurements at the 10^-26 e cm level. In particular, we report progress on laser cooling and trapping radium using the strong, dipole allowed ¹S₀ to ¹P₁ transition at 483 nm that will greatly increase the number of atoms participating in EDM measurements.