Current results and future directions for an electron electric dipole moment search using molecular ions

We recently completed a first measurement of the electron’s electric dipole moment (eEDM) using trapped HfF$^+$ ions, which we will present along with accompanying systematic error analysis. We will also detail our ongoing progress towards a second generation measurement with HfF$^+$, including characterizations of our second generation ion trap. Finally, we will present LIF spectroscopy of ThF for the efficient production of ThF$^+$, a species that possesses higher eEDM sensitivity than HfF$^+$, as well as the potential for very long interrogation times with high immunity to systematic errors via electron spin resonance spectroscopy in its ground $^{3}\Delta_1$ electronic state [1]. \\[4pt] [1] Daniel N.~Gresh, Kevin C.~Cossel, Yan Zhou, Jun Ye, and Eric A.~Cornell, J.~Mol.~Spec.~\textbf{319}, 1 (2016)