Parity-violating optical rotation induced by the neutral weak-current interaction has been detected and measured for the first time in atomic thallium vapour. Accurate atomic calculations predicting the size of the rotation are available for this element; thallium also benefits from the Z3 enhancement of the effect. The magnetic-dipole transition 6p1/2-6p3/2 at 1.283 μm was excited using a single-mode semiconductor laser and the small optical rotation was measured using a sensitive polarimeter. The result, expressed in terms of the quantity R = Im E1p.v./M1, is - 12.5(19)10-8 and is consistent with recent calculations based on the standard model.
Spin of the Tl nucleus is 1/2.