In a study that closes a long-standing knowledge gap in fundamental science, researchers Boerge Hemmerling and Stephen Kane at the University of California, Riverside, have successfully measured the electric dipole moment of aluminum monochloride (AlCl), a simple yet scientifically crucial diatomic molecule.

Their results, published in Physical Review A, have implications for quantum technologies, astrophysics, and planetary science. The paper is titled “Measurement of the electric dipole moment of AlCl by Stark-level spectroscopy.”

Until now, the dipole moment of AlCl was only estimated, with no experimental confirmation. The study’s precise measurement now replaces the theoretical predictions with solid experimental data.