The exchange of spin-0 or spin-1 bosons between fermions or spin-polarised macroscopic objects gives rise to various spin-dependent potentials. We derive the coordinate-space non-relativistic potentials induced by the exchange of such bosons, including contact terms that can play an important role in atomic-scale phenomena, and correct for errors and omissions in the literature. We summarise the properties of the potentials and their relevance for various types of experiments. These potentials underpin the interpretation of experiments that search for new bosons, including spectroscopy, torsion-pendulum measurements, magnetometry, parity nonconservation and electric dipole moment experiments.

Advanced quantum sensor enables a search for spin physics beyond the standard model.

A nuclear clock has been proposed based on the isomeric transition between the ground state and the first excited state of thorium-229. This transition was recognized as a potentially sensitive probe of possible temporal variation of the fine-structure constant, α. The sensitivity to such a variation can be determined from measurements of the mean-square charge radius and quadrupole moment of the different isomers. However, current measurements of the quadrupole moment are yet to achieve accuracy high enough to resolve non-zero sensitivity. Here we determine this sensitivity using existing measurements of the change in mean-square charge radius, coupled with the ansatz of constant nuclear density. The enhancement factor for α-variation is K = −(0.9 ± 0.3) × 10 4 . For the current experimental limit δα/α 10 −17 per year, the corresponding frequency shift is ∼ 200 Hz. This shift is six orders of magnitude larger than the projected accuracy of the nuclear clock, paving the way for increased accuracy for determination of δα and interaction strength with low mass scalar dark matter. We verify that the constant-nuclear-density ansatz is supported by nuclear theory and propose how to verify it experimentally. We also consider a possible effect of the octupole deformation on the sensitivity to α-variation.

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Heretofore undiscovered spin-0 or spin-1 bosons can mediate exotic spin-dependent interactions between standard model particles. Here, we carry out the first search for semileptonic spin-dependent interactions between matter and antimatter. We compare theoretical calculations and spectroscopic measurements of the hyperfine structure of antiprotonic helium to constrain exotic spin- and velocity-dependent interactions between electrons and antiprotons.