Abstract
The fine structure constant α is that "magical and mysterious" number close to 1/137 that characterizes the strength of the interaction between light and charged elementary particles, such as electrons or muons. Precise knowledge of its numerical value is crucial for testing, even with low-energy experiments, the calculations of quantum electrodynamics and certain theoretical predictions of the Standard Model. In this seminar, I will present the atomic interferometry experiment that recently enabled us to determine the fine structure constant with a relative uncertainty of 8.1x10-11. I will discuss the impact of this new measurement on tests of the Standard Model.
