معرفی
Eric Hessels is a Full Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at York University. His research focuses on high-precision laser spectroscopy of atoms, experimental tests of Quantum Electrodynamics (QED), and studies of antimatter such as antihydrogen. He leads efforts to measure the proton radius using atomic hydrogen and aims to resolve discrepancies observed in muonic hydrogen experiments. Hessels is also involved in trapping antihydrogen atoms to study antimatter properties and determining the fine structure constant through helium spectroscopy. His work often employs advanced laser cooling and trapping techniques, contributing to fundamental physics questions like potential new bosons or higher-dimensional gravity. He holds a position as Distinguished Research Professor and is part of York University's Physics and Astronomy Graduate Program.
Research areas include atomic, molecular, and optical physics, with experimental approaches combining computational, theoretical, and experimental methodologies. His contributions span precision measurements in hydrogen and helium, antimatter trapping systems, and matrix-isolation studies of molecules like BaF for electron EDM searches. Hessels collaborates internationally on projects like the Antihydrogen Trap (ATRAP) and has developed specialized traps for neutral antimatter.
Notable projects involve ultrahigh-precision helium fine structure measurements using frequency-offset separated oscillatory fields, which refine determinations of the fine structure constant. His group also investigates optical forces on molecules and systematic effects in precision spectroscopy. Hessels' work bridges atomic physics with particle physics, seeking insights into fundamental symmetries and constants of nature.
