A Laser Excitation Scheme for Th<mml:mprescripts/><mml:none/>229m

2017/09/16 by Lars von der Wense, Benedict Seiferle, Simon Stellmer +6 · 55 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Algorithm #Atomic and Molecular Physics #Atomic and Subatomic Physics Research #Atomic physics #Computer science #Energy (signal processing) #Excitation #Excited state #Laser #Nuclear physics research studies #Optics #Physics #Population #Quantum mechanics #Spectroscopy #nucl-ex

paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.119.132503

published in Physical Review Letters 119(13), 132503 (American Physical Society)

arxiv created 2017/09/16 · openalex created_date 2017/09/25 · openalex publication_date 2017/09/28 · arxiv updated 2017/10/05 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

Direct laser excitation of the lowest known nuclear excited state in ²²⁹Th has been a long-standing objective. It is generally assumed that reaching this goal would require a considerably reduced uncertainty of the isomer's excitation energy compared to the presently adopted value of (7.8±0.5) eV. Here we present a direct laser excitation scheme for ^229mTh, which circumvents this requirement. The proposed excitation scheme makes use of already existing laser technology and therefore paves the way for nuclear laser spectroscopy. In this concept, the recently experimentally observed internal-conversion decay channel of the isomeric state is used for probing the isomeric population. A signal-to-background ratio of better than 10⁴ and a total measurement time of less than three days for laser scanning appear to be achievable.

Citations

• Experimental search for the low-energy nuclear transition in229Th with undulator radiation
• Energy Splitting of the Ground-State Doublet in the NucleusTh<mml:mprescripts/><mml:none/>229
• Nuclear laser spectroscopy of the 3.5 eV transition in Th-229
• Nuclear structure of 229Th
• Electric-dipole-forbidden nuclear transitions driven by super-intense laser fields
• Impact of the electron environment on the lifetime of the229Thmlow-lying isomer
• Features of the low-energy level scheme of 229Th as observed in the α-decay of 233U
• Single-Ion Nuclear Clock for Metrology at the 19th Decimal Place
• Processes of the nuclear isomer 229mTh(3/2+, 3.5 ± 1.0 eV) resonant excitation by optical photons
• Radiative lifetime and energy of the low-energy isomeric level inTh<mml:mprescripts/><mml:none/>229
• Direct detection of the 229Th nuclear clock transition
• An excited state ofTh<mml:mprescripts/>229at 3.5 eV
• Lifetime measurement of the ²²⁹Th nuclear isomer
• Reduced transition probabilities for the gamma decay of the 7.8 eV isomer in ²²⁹Th
• Results of a Direct Search Using Synchrotron Radiation for the Low-EnergyTh<mml:mprescripts/><mml:none/>229Nuclear Isomeric Transition

Cited by

• The ²²⁹Th isomer: prospects for a nuclear optical clock
• Attempt to optically excite the nuclear isomer in Th<mml:mprescripts/><mml:none/>229