We report the results of a search for fractional electric charges in stable matter. We obtain 90%-C.L. upper limits upon the concentration of fractional charges in the sample tetraethylene glycol examined of I per 64 pg for +0.33e and/or +0.66e fractional charges, and 1 per 28 pg for +0.33e and/or -0.66e fractional charges. Our method employed so-called "satellite" droplets formed in the breakup of a liquid jet. The droplets were shot vertically downward and chargeanalyzed using a horizontal electric field. The final positions, reflecting a charge sensitivity of up to 1.8 mm per electron charge, were measured with a laser-scanner-based detector. Our charge resolution was better than & of an electron charge.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.