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The VIP Experimental Limit on the Pauli Exclusion Principle Violation by Electrons

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Abstract

In this paper we describe an experimental test of the validity of the Pauli Exclusion Principle (for electrons) which is based on a straightforward idea put forward a few years ago by Ramberg and Snow (Phys. Lett. B 238:438, 1990). We perform a very accurate search of X-rays from the Pauli-forbidden atomic transitions of electrons in the already filled 1S shells of copper atoms. Although the experiment has a very simple structure, it poses deep conceptual and interpretational problems. Here we describe the experimental method and recent experimental results, which we interpret in the framework of quon theory. We also present future plans to upgrade the experimental apparatus using Silicon Drift Detectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, INFN, CP 13, Via E. Fermi 40, 00044, Frascati (Roma), Italy

    S. Bartalucci, S. Bertolucci, C. Curceanu (Petrascu), S. Di Matteo, C. Guaraldo, M. Iliescu, D. Pietreanu, A. Romero Vidal, D. L. Sirghi, F. Sirghi, L. Sperandio & O. Vazquez Doce

  2. “Stefan Meyer” Institute for Subatomic Physics, Boltzmanngasse 3, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    M. Cargnelli, T. Ishiwatari, J. Marton, E. Widmann & J. Zmeskal

  3. “Horia Hulubei” National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Str. Atomistilor no. 407, P.O. Box MG-6, Bucharest-Magurele, Romania

    M. Bragadireanu, T. Ponta, D. L. Sirghi & F. Sirghi

  4. Institut de Physique, Université de Neuchâtel, 1 rue A.-L. Breguet, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland

    J.-P. Egger

  5. Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trieste and INFN–Sezione di Trieste, Via Valerio, 2, 34127, Trieste, Italy

    E. Milotti

  6. Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, S.S. 17/bis, 67010, Assergi (AQ), Italy

    M. Laubenstein

Authors
  1. S. Bartalucci
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  2. S. Bertolucci
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  3. M. Bragadireanu
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  4. M. Cargnelli
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  5. C. Curceanu (Petrascu)
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  6. S. Di Matteo
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  7. J.-P. Egger
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  8. C. Guaraldo
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  9. M. Iliescu
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  10. T. Ishiwatari
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  11. M. Laubenstein
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  12. J. Marton
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  13. E. Milotti
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  14. D. Pietreanu
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  15. T. Ponta
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  16. A. Romero Vidal
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  17. D. L. Sirghi
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  18. F. Sirghi
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  19. L. Sperandio
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  20. O. Vazquez Doce
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  21. E. Widmann
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  22. J. Zmeskal
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to F. Sirghi.

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Bartalucci, S., Bertolucci, S., Bragadireanu, M. et al. The VIP Experimental Limit on the Pauli Exclusion Principle Violation by Electrons. Found Phys 40, 765–775 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10701-009-9346-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10701-009-9346-1

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